What does Keir Starmer really mean by ‘take back control’?

The Labour leader is hoping his brazen theft of the notorious Vote Leave slogan will appeal to red wall voters, writes Adam Forrest

The Remain-voting Labour leader again irritated anti-Brexit campaigners (PA)

Keir Starmer has been keen to outflank the Tories on law and order, bemoaning high crime rates and promising to do more to tackle antisocial behaviour, theft and burglary.

But the Labour leader carried out an audacious robbery in his big new year speech, nicking the notorious “take back control” slogan used by the Vote Leave campaign during its Brexit referendum campaign.

Starmer brazenly announced he was stealing the phrase, and pledged to introduce a “take back control” bill as the centrepiece of a Labour government’s first King’s Speech.