No, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer did not talk about The Great Reset in a recent speech
There is no evidence that Keir Starmer’s use of the word “reset” was referring to the World Economic Forum.
Claim ID 8cda97de
Context
Since Keir Starmer assumed his new position as Prime Minister on July 5, 2024, after Labour’s election victory, claims have been circulating on social media that he has signaled his intention to implement the “Great Reset” in the U.K.
A Facebook post (archived here) from July 5, 2024, includes a clip of Starmer’s inaugural speech outside 10 Downing Street in which he said, “Our country needs a bigger reset, a rediscovery of who we are because no matter how fierce the storms of history, one of the great strengths of this nation has always been our ability to navigate away to calmer waters.”
The post includes the caption, “‘Our country needs A BIGGER RESET’ – Keir Starmer’s dog whistle to Klaus Schwab & the WEF Globalists during inaugural speech at number 10 Downing Street.”
Multiple other posts (archived here, here, and here) have made similar claims linking Keir Starmer to an alleged WEF plot named The Great Reset, using his speech as evidence. One post states that the Great Reset includes depopulation, establishing a global digital currency, and forcing people to eat insects.
Logically Facts has previously written on how theories about the Great Reset and the World Economic Forum form part of a meta-conspiracy theory that argues the world is being secretly controlled by a shadowy organization of elites operating on a global scale. And like those, this claim is not based in fact.
What we found
Starmer has used the term “reset” in at least two speeches since he assumed office. The first was his inaugural address, and the second was in an event that marked the beginning of his nationwide tour to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, where he was to meet with these nations’ first ministers.
However, reading his use of this term in context clarifies the meaning. In his inaugural address, he discusses rebuilding Britain’s wealth, improving the NHS, securing borders, and providing more clean energy to cut energy bills. He specifically says the word in the sentence, “Yet, if I am honest, service is merely a precondition of hope, and it is surely clear to everyone that our country needs a bigger reset, a rediscovery of who we are.”
In his nationwide tour address, he refers to strengthening relations between Westminster and the first ministers of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Specifically, he stated, “That begins today with an immediate reset of my government’s approach to working with the first and deputy first ministers because meaningful cooperation centered on respect will be key to delivering change across our United Kingdom.”
There is no evidence that Starmer was referring to the WEF or its Great Reset campaign. Starmer’s election marks a change of government after 14 years of Conservative rule, providing crucial context for using the word “reset.”
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international organization that facilitates partnerships between the state and private sectors. It launched its campaign, The Great Reset, in April 2020 as a program dedicated to building economic resilience following the COVID-19 pandemic. This campaign was targeted by conspiracy theorists who have spread false claims that the Great Reset involves several draconian measures, including banning the natural conception of children, Bible bans, and forcing everyone to abandon farm-raised beef in favor of insects and lab-grown meat. We have written extensively on conspiracies linked to the Great Reset, finding these narratives talse.
These conspiracy theories aren’t rooted in fact. The WEF is an organization that facilitates discussions between the private and public sectors. It is not a governing organization and does not have any decision-making power over government policies.
The verdict
Since Keir Starmer assumed office as the U.K.’s Prime Minister, claims have circulated on social media that he is part of a global conspiracy implementing a secret plot called The Great Reset, which aims to control the world through measures like depopulation and forcing people to eat insects. However, these claims form part of a conspiracy theory that misrepresents the role of the WEF and is not based in fact. We have, therefore, rated this claim as false.
