LABOUR Leader Sir Keir Starmer visited Carlisle United Football Club last night as part of a two day tour of Cumbria.

The party leader and former Director of Public Prosecutions spent time talking to CUFC manager Paul Simpson, directors and players. He also watched the Youth Team train on the pitch before meeting local party activists elsewhere in the town. 

The Labour leader said he was delighted to be in Carlisle and very impressed with the football club. 

Speaking to the News & Star he said: "I am delighted to be back here in Carlisle of course when I was Director of Public Prosecutions I had staff here in Carlisle working with the Police keeping people safe."

"I am here today because of the local elections and to give support to our fantastic candidates who are standing in those local elections and to help them to persuade the people of Carlisle that in Labour there is a real chance to keep those people running the council on your side. "

He told The News & Star that Carlisle families were really struggling with food and fuel bills as well as extra national insurance taxation. 

"I think the most important thing in Carlisle is that connection with what matters most to so many people in Carlisle and right now that is paying the bills."

"The bills are too high as high as they were the last time a Conservative Government was in power. The Food bills and the energy bills are a huge concern"

"This week many people are going to be picking up their payslip and they will be seeing that the government is taking even more tax from them

"We say taxing people more now during this cost of living crisis is totally the wrong approach.

"We should have an oil and gas windfall tax from the oil and gas companies in the North Sea and we would use that to pay up to £600 for those families and people who need it most and also not have imposed this new tax rise."