Keir Starmer has insisted the UK economy is “turning around” despite a wave of gloomy data.
The prime minister gave his optimistic take after telling business leaders that he has instructed his ministers to ditch policies that won’t lead to economic growth.
His comments came ahead of a major speech tomorrow by chancellor Rachel Reeves in which she will set out how the government plans to grow the economy - including backing a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
Officials figures earlier this month showed that the economy did not grow at all in the three months to November last year.
But Starmer told Bloomberg TV: “We have to get our economy working. I think we’re beginning to see how that’s turning around.
“The number one priority of this Labour government is growth: growth, growth, growth.”
Starmer had earlier told business leaders how government ministers have been told to only focus on policies that will grow the economy.
He said: “When you’re answering the question, ‘should we do X, or should we do Y’, that is guided by the mission.
“Should we do X? If it’s good for growth, good for wealth creation, the answer is ‘yes’, if it’s not then the answer is ‘no’.
“It prioritises and gives a sense of direction to government.”
He added he was “hard-wiring growth into all the decisions of the cabinet”.
“What Rachel and I have done is to make it clear to each of our cabinet colleagues that in each of their briefs, growth is the number one mission,” Starmer said.
Starmer - who opposed the expansion of Heathrow Airport when Labour was in opposition - said he was not willing to “speculate” on what Reeves will say about a third runway tomorrow.
But he added: “What I will say is that growth is the number one priority, wealth creation, making sure that people are better off.
“Of course, we also have climate commitments, but growth is really important too.”