In his first address to the Labour Party conference as prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer promised a Britain “built to last” but cautioned that there would be “trade-offs.” He stated that Labour would deliver the “national renewal” that the country wanted, but it would involve the construction of new prisons and electricity pylons near homes. The keynote address, which took place in Liverpool three months after Labour’s general election victory, focused on long-term reforms, including issues with energy and housebuilding that previous Conservative leaders had avoided addressing.
Sir Keir did not repeat his rhetoric from last month about a “painful” Budget but insisted there would be “light at the end of the tunnel.” He desired to be transparent about the nation’s challenges and said, “If we bury our head because things are difficult, your country goes backwards.” The PM promised to supply care leavers, domestic violence victims, and veterans with a “guaranteed roof over their head.” However, Housing charity Shelter said changing the eligibility rules for social housing would not solve the housing shortage.
The prime minister also announced reforms to the apprenticeship system, saying it was a “first step” in eradicating youth unemployment. The PM also addressed the summer riots triggered by the Southport knife attack and denounced the violence as “thuggery.” He said the government desired to minimize “both net migration and our economic dependency upon it” but wanted to move past the debate about the worth of migrants, which he deemed toxic.
Sir Keir did have an awkward moment during the speech; when discussing the Middle East, he called for the return of sausages instead of hostages. A pro-Palestine heckler briefly interrupted the speech, causing him to reply, “This guy’s obviously got a pass to the 2019 conference,” a reference to the Labour’s previous leader. Sir Keir did not address criticisms he has experienced in recent weeks, such as the cuts to winter fuel payments and tensions within his government.
Most of Labour’s trade-union supporters commended Sir Keir’s speech, with Unison chair Christina McAnea saying that the government had “the commitment, vision, and ability to repair and revitalize every part of society.” However, some opposition party leaders were displeased, with Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper claiming that millions of pensioners would be “left disappointed” that the PM had not U-turned on the cuts
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