Tories prepared to scorch the earth to get at Labour, Starmer warns

The Conservatives will deploy a scorched earth policy in a “fight to save their own skin” ahead of a general election, Sir Keir Starmer has warned Labour activists.

The Labour leader hit out at the Conservative Party on Tuesday as being “dangerous” and having “completely severed its relationship with the future”.

But he told the Labour conference in Liverpool that he will be “ready to fight back”.

Sir Keir believes that the decision to water down green policies in a sign Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will make short-term decisions to open up divides at the election.

“I have to warn you, a party that has so completely severed its relationship with the future, that is prepared to scorch the earth just to get at us – they will be dangerous,” he said.

“Trust me. Wherever you think the line is, they’ve already got plans to cross it.

“They will be up for the fight. They’re always up for the fight to save their own skin. And this isn’t over. In fact, it’s barely begun.

“So we have to be disciplined, focused, ready to fight back.”

He said he believes that “Scotland can lead the way to a Labour Government” after Labour beat the SNP in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

But he warned the party will “re-group” and present a “fight”.