Labour party conference: Labour facing 'tough choices', Deputy PM Rayner says at party's annual conference

Summary

The Labour party's annual conference is under way in Liverpool
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner tells the conference "now change begins" and the party will "get Britain building"
Earlier, Laura Kuenssberg questioned Angela Rayner about her accepting free outfits and staying in a New York flat owned by a Labour donor, asking in what way that "returns politics into the service of the people"
Rayner says she does not believe she broke any rules, and that donations are part of politics and that the government is "open and transparent" about the process
It comes after The Sunday Times reported that Rayner appeared to have breached parliamentary rules after not declaring that Sam Tarry, then the Ilford South MP, stayed with her at a $2.5m apartment in Manhattan
Rayner told the BBC that "I didn't go to New York with another person, that person went to New York and I met up with them"
She is also pressed on a figure for how much social housing Labour will build - Rayner says she will not "put an exact figure" on it as there are so many "moving parts", including brownfield land
Meanwhile, Shadow Commons leader Chris Philp says that PM Sir Keir Starmer accepting free clothes for his wife is "weird and inappropriate" and that donation rules "should be looked at"

Live Reporting

Edited by Sophie Abdulla

Kuenssberg: 'Will Sue Gray still be in her job by Christmas?'published at 09:28 British Summer Time
The questioning now turns to Labour's chief of staff Sue Gray's salary, which the BBC this week revealed was £170,000 - higher than the PM's salary.
Kuenssberg asks: Will Gray still be in her job by Christmas?
She's doing an "incredible" job and she has a "huge amount of respect in the cabinet", Rayner replies, adding that she is angered that somehow it's OK to "demonise" workers in their workplace.
You can read more about the row over Sue Gray's pay here.
Lord Alli's Downing Street pass queriedpublished at 09:25 British Summer Time
Kuenssberg asks Rayner about Lord Alli - a Labour donor - receiving a Downing Street pass, and asks Rayner who signed that off.
"I don't know about that," Rayner replies, but says it was not due to any donations he had given to her.
"I did not see him in Parliament and Number 10", she adds.
With regards any post-election celebrations at Downing Street, it is No 10's position that Lord Alli did not organise, host or pay for a reception at Downing Street.
Donations 'have helped me in the past' - Raynerpublished at 09:23 British Summer Time
Rayner is now asked about some of the comments that BBC viewers have shared about Labour MPs receiving "freebies".
Rayner acknowledges that donors have "helped me in the past".
She says she has had to accept donations to help run campaigning "as it is a very expensive way of doing politics".
'Are you sorry?', Rayner is asked about donationspublished at 09:20 British Summer Time
There's a big difference between accepting donations for campaigning and accepting accommodation for a holiday and donations for clothes, Kuenssberg says. "Are you sorry you did that?" she asks.
Rayner says she believes she has been "very transparent".
"I put the clothing donation out in the public domain", Rayner adds.
She says she understands people are frustrated, but donations have been a feature of British politics for a very long time.
"But the transparency is very important," she adds.
Rayner asked to explain New York holiday accommodationpublished at 09:19 British Summer Time
Rayner is now quizzed about her declaration that she accepted accommodation from a wealthy Labour donor during a personal holiday in New York.
She says she decided to declare it as she stayed there for a couple of days.
Rayner says she went "beyond the rules" by declaring it.
Laura asks why she didn't declare that former Labour MP Sam Tarry stayed there too.
Did you break the rules?, she is asked.
"I don't believe I broke any rules. I think I was overly transparent," Rayner replies, adding that it was a personal holiday.
Rayner pressed over accepting free donationspublished at 09:13 British Summer Time
Laura Kuenssberg begins her interview with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner by pressing her about accepting free outfits, asking in what way that "returns politics into the service of the people".
Rayner relies that MPs have been accepting donations and gifts for years, and all MPs do it. What's important, she replies, is that the government is "open and transparent" about the process.
For background, Sir Keir Starmer "corrected the record" and took the advice - something which Rayner says was the right thing to do.
Today's programme gets under waypublished at 09:00 British Summer Time
Today's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme has just started on BBC One.
Stay with us as we bring you the key lines from the interviews.
As a reminder, we're expecting to hear from Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, ahead of the Labour Party's annual conference in Liverpool.
Paper review: 'No more austerity' and 'Sir Shameless at it again’published at 08:53 British Summer Time
Images of Sir Keir Starmer feature on several of Sunday morning's front pages as Labour prepares to hold its first party conference in government for 15 years amid reports of infighting at Downing Street and a row over political donations.
- The Sunday Telegraph has spoken to an unnamed senior Whitehall source who claims the prime minister has four weeks to prove his government is not "fundamentally dysfunctional"
- The Sunday Express says allies of Sir Keir have urged him to sack his chief-of-staff Sue Gray to end what it calls the "turf war" raging in No 10
- With the headline "Sir Shameless Is At It Again!", the Mail on Sunday says the PM enjoyed free corporate hospitality at Tottenham's Premier League game last weekend against Arsenal - just hours after allegations emerged about clothes he and his wife had accepted from the Labour donor, Lord Alli
You can read a full review of Sunday morning’s newspapers here
What can we expect from Labour's annual conference?published at 08:50 British Summer Time
As we've been reporting, the first day of the Labour party's annual is set to get under way in Liverpool.
Senior figures will make speeches as government ministers, not opposition politicians, for the first time in 15 years.
It's due to last for four days.
After facing questions from Laura Kuenssberg, Angela Rayner is expected to make a speech at the conference - shortly after it opens.
We're also due to hear from other cabinet members at the conference, including Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
Last year’s conference was attended by over 17,000 people, including delegates from constituencies, trade union and affiliated groups.
Keir Starmer is due to give a keynote speech on Tuesday.
Who is on the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show?published at 08:42 British Summer Time
Joining #BBCLauraK, externalfrom 9am on BBC One:
- Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner
- Shadow Commons leader Chris Philp
- Russian activists Vladimir and Evgenia Kara-Murza
- Iceland boss Richard Walker
- Former Keir Starmer adviser Claire Ainsley
- And Housing activist Kwajo Tweneboa
Weekly political analysis to your inboxpublished at 08:12 British Summer Time
Sign up for the Off Air with Laura K newsletter to get Laura Kuenssberg's expert insight and insider stories every week, emailed directly to you.
Starmer vows to stop government leaks that 'damage everybody'published at 08:08 British Summer Time
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says it's his "responsibility" to stop the damaging leaks that have dominated headlines about the Labour Party in recent weeks.
His comments come after the salary of his chief of staff Sue Gray was revealed to be £170,000 - more than what the PM is paid. The leak came from No 10 staff unhappy with Gray's influence.
In an interview with the Observer, external, Starmer said of the leaks: “It is my job to do something about that and I accept that responsibility. And that just damages everybody.”
Starmer, along with his deputy Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, has also come under fire for accepting thousands of pounds work of clothing from donors. They have since said they will no longer accept donations to pay for clothes.
- BBC's political editor Chris Mason on why the Sue Gray salary story matters
Starmer promises action on No 10 leaks as Labour's annual conference gets under waypublished at 08:08 British Summer Time
Image source, PA Media
Good morning, we're beginning our live coverage ahead of the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme at 9am and the first day of Labour's annual conference in Liverpool.
For the first time in 15 years, senior figures will make speeches as government ministers, not opposition politicians.
We'll be providing key lines and analysis throughout the day from both events.
It all comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says its his "job to do something" about leaks coming from government, which this week, led to his chief adviser's salary being made public.
Starmer’s chief of staff received a pay rise after the election, which means she is now paid more than the prime minister. The BBC was told that Sue Gray asked for and was given a salary of £170,000 - £3,000 more than the PM and more than any cabinet minister – or her Conservative predecessor.
We're expecting this to come up on the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner set to face questions.
She'll also be speaking later during the party's annual conference, alongside others, including Foreign Secretary David Lammy.