Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Labour conference sets stage for potential return to power

Experts say the primary objective of Labour’s meet is a simple one: do nothing that jeopardises its lead.

Labour conference sets stage for potential return to power

LABOUR gathers this weekend for its annual conference, with the centre-left party currently on course to return to power in a general election expected next year.

Labour, led by Keir Starmer, goes into the four-day event -- which starts on Sunday (8) in Liverpool, northwest England -- well ahead of the governing Tories in opinion polls.


After this week's chaotic Tory conference, which hampered prime minister Rishi Sunak's bid to kick-start a resurgence of his beleaguered party, experts say the primary objective of Labour's meet is a simple one: do nothing that jeopardises its lead.

"The main thing will be don't cock up. No hostages to fortune, no signs of dissension," said political scientist Anand Menon.

Labour last held the keys to 10 Downing Street in 2010 and is readying itself to govern again following a vote that must be held by January 2025 at the latest.

Starmer, 61, has revived the fortunes of a party that suffered a landslide defeat to the Tories at the last election in 2019 under former far-left leader Jeremy Corbyn, by pulling it back to the centre ground.

A recent European trip, including a meeting with French president Emmanuel Macron, was seen by many as Starmer projecting himself as a prime minister-in-waiting.

Labour has enjoyed double-digit poll leads for months, with Britain locked in a cost-of-living crisis and plagued by strikes, and with Tory infighting leading to three prime ministers in little over a year.

Recent surveys, though, have showed the gap narrowing after the announcement of populist policies by Sunak that attempt to draw clear dividing lines between the Tories and their opponents.

Starmer, a former chief state prosecutor, is regularly accused of being too cautious, and observers are keen to see whether he adopts a bolder stance in Liverpool.

"The only interesting thing I think will be the degree to which Starmer feels pressured into trying to be a bit more assertive in terms of spelling out a vision," Menon said.

Starmer has dropped several pledges made during his successful 2020 leadership bid, including plans to scrap university tuition fees, citing the economic climate.

Labour has also backed away from tax increases, allowing Conservatives to accuse Starmer of flip-flopping on several issues.

Starmer has ruled out taking Britain back into the European Union but has pledged to seek "a much better deal for the UK" with the bloc. The post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation agreement struck by former premier Boris Johnson is due for review in 2025.

In July, he laid out his party's "five missions for a better Britain" that will form the backbone of its election manifesto.

They include making Britain a green energy superpower and building a national health service "fit for the future".

Political experts expect the Labour leader to put more flesh on the bones of these policies when he speaks at the conference Tuesday, which could be the last annual gathering of the party before voters go to the polls.

"One would expect one or two quite symbolic policies from the conference, things to associate Starmer with over the next few months. I think that will be important," said Karl Pike at Queen Mary University of London.

But with opinion polls suggesting that only Labour can blow the party's chances now, Starmer may feel it is wiser to keep his cards close to his chest until nearer the election, which experts have speculated could occur in the spring or autumn of 2024.

Economic constraints mean Labour may also be reluctant to commit to major spending pledges they might not be able to meet if elected.

Starmer will also have to decide whether to engage with the Tories over so-called "culture wars" on immigration and gender rights, which home secretary Suella Braverman ramped up with her conference speech on Tuesday (3).

"The question for him is how safety first is he going to be, at the conference and over the next few months," said Pike.

"How much is it going to be about what Labour wants to do for the country? And how much is it going to be about just attacking the Toris?"

(AFP)

More For You

Pakistan flag

Singh, the JUI-F nominee, hails from the Malik Deen Khel tribe in Bara, Khyber district.

Getty Images

Sikh leader from Pakistan’s Khyber district elected to KPK assembly

A SIKH religious leader, Gurpal Singh, has been elected unopposed to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assembly on a seat reserved for minorities and allocated to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), the provincial election commission announced on Thursday.

Singh, the JUI-F nominee, hails from the Malik Deen Khel tribe in Bara, Khyber district.

Keep ReadingShow less
travel disruption UK weather

Yellow warnings remain across England and Scotland throughout the weekend

iStock

Severe thunderstorms to bring flooding and travel disruption across England

Highlights

  • An amber thunderstorm warning is in place for parts of south-east and eastern England from 04:00 to 11:00 on Saturday
  • Rainfall could reach up to 100mm in a few hours, risking flash flooding and widespread disruption
  • Frequent lightning, large hail, and gusty winds are expected, affecting travel and infrastructure
  • Yellow warnings remain across England and Scotland throughout the weekend
  • Soil dryness from recent heatwaves increases risk of surface runoff and flooding
  • Hosepipe bans remain unaffected due to limited groundwater recharge

Met Office issues amber warning ahead of torrential rain and storms

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for thunderstorms on Saturday morning, covering parts of south-east and eastern England. The warning is in effect from 04:00 to 11:00, with accompanying yellow alerts stretching across much of England and Scotland.

The warning highlights the potential for torrential rainfall, with 20–40mm expected in just an hour and isolated areas seeing up to 100mm within a few hours—more than a month’s worth of rain. This is likely to result in flash flooding, transport delays, and other significant disruption.

Keep ReadingShow less
Prithvi

The Prithvi-II missile has a range of around 350 kms and can carry a payload of up to 500 kgs.

DRDO and Doordarshan

India test-fires nuclear-capable missiles; Akash Prime tested in Ladakh

INDIA on Thursday successfully test-fired nuclear-capable short-range ballistic missiles Prithvi-II and Agni-I from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, off the Odisha coast.

The launches were carried out by the Strategic Forces Command and demonstrated India's strategic deterrence capability, the defence ministry said.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marco Rubio

US secretary of state Marco Rubio said TRF is a 'front and proxy' of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terrorist group based in Pakistan. (Photo: Getty Images)

US designates Kashmir attack group TRF as terrorist outfit

THE UNITED STATES on Thursday designated The Resistance Front (TRF), the group blamed for the April attack in Kashmir, as a terrorist organisation. The attack had triggered the worst conflict between India and Pakistan in decades.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio said TRF is a "front and proxy" of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terrorist group based in Pakistan.

Keep ReadingShow less
Diane Abbott

Diane Abbott has been suspended again by Labour after repeating comments about different forms of racism in a radio interview.

Getty Images

Labour suspends Diane Abbott again over race comments

THE LABOUR PARTY has suspended Diane Abbott, the UK’s longest-serving female MP, after she repeated remarks on racism that had previously led to her suspension.

Abbott, a prominent figure in British left-wing politics and the first Black woman elected to parliament, was initially suspended by Labour in 2023 after she said the prejudice faced by Jewish people was similar to, but not the same as, racism.

Keep ReadingShow less