This afternoon, a Labour prime minister will address a Labour party conference for the first time in 15 years.

As these pictures show, Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria began the day by chatting to guests in their Liverpool hotel.

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Keir Starmer's exam questionpublished at 09:39 British Summer Time 24 September

09:39 BST 24 September

Chris Mason
Political editor

In his first Labour conference speech as prime minister, Keir Starmer will say there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The thrust of this conference has been that Labour want to unbrick the exit to the tunnel, or have concluded the light they can now see at the end of it isn’t an oncoming train.

In other words, they are trying to calibrate the sentiment this new government is giving off.

Plenty within the government have concluded that they have perhaps overdone the doom and gloom in the language they have been using, and so they have started to use words loaded with a bit of sunshine, but not too much.

Those around the prime minister say the "exam question" he wants to answer in his speech this afternoon is "what is the house on the hill we are heading for?"

To stretch the visual imagery, if the tunnel is eventually escaped from, what does the destination look like?

A year ago here in Liverpool, the mood at Labour’s conference was effervescent - “there was energy, buzz and anticipation,” as one minister put it.

There was too, they acknowledged, a “huge sense of anxiety” about actually winning – but the sense of excitement was off the scale.

This year, the other side of a massive election win, yes there is celebration - but the weight and responsibilities of office sit heavily.

It's not just Keir Starmer speaking today - also on the agenda are speeches from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (10:00 BST), Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy (11:35) and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood (16:00).

Cooper will warn of "rising street crime" which she will say is "corroding the fabric of our communities".

She'll talk of plans for an additional 13,000 police officers and PCSOs - something Labour promised to do if in government long before the election.

The home secretary will also tell delegates about "respect orders" which will be designed to ban persistent antisocial offenders from town centres.

And remember - you can watch our coverage of the conference by pressing watch live at the top of the page.

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Annual party conferences have been taking place in the UK for more than a century - and were originally designed so that parties could decide on policy.

That function has passed, although non-binding votes will take place in Labour’s conference hall this week (there has been a row over a winter fuel payment vote already).

TV cameras were invited from the 1950s, and - for the major parties - conferences have evolved from a policy-making and debating forum to a chance to advertise themselves to the nation.

Think tanks, charities, trade unions and businesses attend alongside party members, in an attempt to form relationships and influence policy.

As well as debates, speeches and fringe sessions, the conference also provides an opportunity for parties to raise funds.

In the UK, conferences generally happen away from London, and at this time of year - the Conservatives' begins at the end of this month in Birmingham.

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Jennifer McKiernan
Reporting from Liverpool

Journalists were surprised by a sniffer dog called Diesel running around desks this morning for security checks.

I heard the jingling of his jacket as he ran under my desk to check the broadcast equipment.

He was joined on his patrol by another, equally enthusiastic sniffer dog - security is seemingly being stepped up ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's speech later today.

There are also snipers on the roof.

Pat McFadden was also asked about the "freebies" row in the government - after Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, and Angela Rayner said they would no longer accept money for clothes, after accepting thousands of pounds' worth of donations.

"As your viewers can probably tell, I've been around politics for quite some time," McFadden tells BBC Breakfast.

"There have been squalls like this in the past. I think what's important is you work your way through them. We've got an important chance to do that today.

"We've got our first speech today from a Labour prime minister to a Labour Party conference for 15 years, so it's a really big moment where the prime minister can set out his agenda for the future, which in the end will affect people's lives much more than any rows in Downing Street."

• Watch Rachel Reeves talk about free clothes in this clip from yesterday:

It's a word we've heard already today from Labour - and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, has again brought up the government's "tough" inheritance on BBC Breakfast.

Speaking from Liverpool, he talks of a "duty" to tell the country the truth, but adds that Starmer's speech today is a "really big moment" to set the agenda.

Pushed on the decision to scrap the winter fuel payment for 10 million pensioners, McFadden says he understands that some people would rather they didn't make that choice.

However, he calls it "reflective" of the situation they have inherited - and underlines that they are protecting the triple lock for pensioners, guaranteeing rises in the state pension.

As for public service pay offers - McFadden says the government followed the recommendations of the pay review bodies.

Labour wants "to get the NHS back on its feet," he says, "we need the workforce to help us turn that around."

Earlier, we brought you lines from former Labour MP and shadow chancellor John McDonell - who said listening to the current Labour government was like "George Osborne speaking again in 2010".

That criticism was put to Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.

"I understand the nature of the [government's] inheritance," he tells the Today programme.

"It is something of a mess the chancellor has inherited, so difficult things do need to be done just to put public finances back on a sound footing.

"But I was really encouraged to hear her [Rachel Reeves] say clearly yesterday, in her speech, no return to austerity, and that's what we wanted to hear."

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Polling expert Prof Sir John Curtice has spoken to Radio 4's Today programme - claiming Keir Starmer has "never been a popular leader", and has "two weaknesses".

"He's never been very successful at doing what George Bush called the vision thing," he says.

"What is the Labour Party for, what his government trying to achieve, what kind of Britain does he want... that lack of narrative is being exposed."

Curtice also says Starmer has "not always had a strong political antenna, and that's been exposed in the last week or two".

He says it's far too early to rule out a second Labour term after the next general election. But he says "what we've seen in the last few weeks is perhaps not surprising".

Let's now bring you some lines from John McDonnell - the former shadow chancellor who serves as an independent MP, after having the Labour whip removed in July for voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, he is unimpressed by the messaging from Keir Starmer and the wider Labour government.

"I don't say this lightly, but if you close your eyes and listen to the language being used, it's almost like George Osborne speaking again in 2010," he tells our colleagues on Radio 4's Today programme.

"The rhetoric of 'tough choices, painful decisions' - it's literally replica of a speech made by George Osborne."

Labour, he says, "can't say they're ending austerity if they're cutting the winter fuel allowance".

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Iain Watson
Political correspondent

By bringing Labour back to power after 14 years – and with a massive majority – you’d think Sir Keir Starmer would just have to turn up at his party conference to gain plaudits and receive standing ovations.

But today's speech matters.

During Labour’s short time in government, the party faithful – and the wider electorate – have heard a lot about difficult decisions.

So just like his chancellor yesterday, the PM will seek to convince his audience that any short term pain will lead to long term gain.

He will try to give a glimpse of the "light at the end of the tunnel".

He will say the driving force of his government will be economic growth, and his speech will include a smattering of specific policies.

He will restate a commitment to get net migration down, while skilling up the workforce here – including through more flexible apprenticeships.

He will hold out the prospect of greater investment in the public services, and there will be new legislation aimed at reducing fraud in the welfare system.

By the time he leaves Liverpool, he’ll hope his party will feel more at ease with itself

As we just mentioned, Keir Starmer will attempt to strike an optimistic note today, after weeks of gloomy messaging from the new Labour government.

Yesterday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves attempted the same thing - talking repeatedly of "the Britain we’re building", while warning of "tough choices".

She pledged "no return to austerity" but - with the October budget on the horizon - said Labour would be the "party of economic responsibility and the party of working people".

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Welcome back to our live coverage of Labour’s annual conference, where the headline event will be Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s speech at 14:00 BST.

Starmer is expected to discuss "tough choices" - something he has discussed repeatedly since becoming PM - but also to promise "light at the end of the tunnel".

There will be plenty of other speakers throughout the day – including Home Secretary Yvette Cooper who is seeking to bring in new powers on antisocial behaviour, off-road bikes and shoplifting.

Stay with us for the latest news and analysis.

Rachel Reeves tries to change the mood in conference speechpublished at 16:57 British Summer Time 23 September

16:57 BST 23 September

Faisal Islam
Economics editor

The chancellor’s speech at the Labour Party conference was an important and clear change in tone from the government on the economy.

Just three weeks ago the PM warned of a "painful Budget" prompting a frenzy of speculation over where spending cuts and tax rises would fall.

Now she is focusing on the "long-term prize" that she promises will follow if Labour can restore "stability".

"My optimism for Britain burns brighter than ever, my ambition knows no limit," she told delegates in Liverpool.

The fragile British consumer might not quite be ready, after years of rolling inflationary crises, for tough decisions on tax and spending.

Consumer confidence was hit, at least this month, and some retailers spooked by disappointing sales after this talk of pain.

The chancellor was sending a message that the tax rises, when they come, will not primarily hit hard-pressed working families.

She embraced the "choice" she made to give above-inflation pay rises to millions of public sector workers, saying she was willing to have a fight over it with the Conservatives.

Public spending will grow in real terms, or as she put it clearly in her speech there will be "no return to austerity".

Could it be that the Budget's bite (on 30 October) will now prove to be significantly less painful than its bark?

We're closing our live coverage of the Labour conference soon - a day dominated by Rachel Reeves' speech. Here's a recap:

• The day began with Reeves' morning media round - she told the BBC that, despite spending cuts, there would be no return to austerity
• Reeves used her conference speech to repeat claims of a "black hole" in public finances; to accept the need for "tough" decisions; and to confirm the start of free breakfast clubs at primary schools in England from April
• On making immediate cuts, she said: "It was made clear to me [after taking office] that failure to act swiftly could undermine the UK's fiscal position with implications for public debt, mortgages and prices. And so, I took action to make the in-year savings necessary"

• An anticipated non-bindingvote in the conference hall on cutting winter fuel payments to 10m pensioners did not take place - this is now scheduled in for the final day of the conference, Wednesday. One union accused Labour of trying to "silence" critical voices

Our final post, up next, comes from our economics editor, Faisal Islam. Thanks for reading.

Kate Whannel
Reporting from Liverpool

I've spoken to some people inside the Labour conference.

Paul Richards says it's his 34th conference - he calls Rachel Reeves' speech "fairly solid and business-like, not euphoric".

"It was good she tried to inject a bit of optimism," says Richards, who has been a Labour candidate in elections. "It has been a bit sober. I think that is partly a sign that we recognise the electorate is volatile.

"We may not be in power for 10 years - for me that means we have to get on with it."

Elsewhere, Linda tells me that Reeves handled the "difficult issue" of the winter fuel payment cuts "very well".

"I’m old enough to get it - I don’t want it," she says. "I hope all the people who are entitled to pension credits get it."

David Cornock
Politics reporter

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A short time ago, the conference heard from Energy Secretary, and former Labour leader, Ed Miliband - who added a personal note to a speech that concentrated on energy bills and climate change.

He said ministers will look at extending higher efficiency standards to tenants in social housing by 2030.

But the former Labour leader also reflected on his election defeat to David Cameron as he thanked party members for their support.

"I lost the general election in 2015," he told delegates.

"In tough times, you sustained me. You kept me going. And now you have given me the chance to serve. I will not let you down."

On energy, Miliband told delegates that his efficiency standards move – which was already expected to apply to private sector landlords – would help lift more than one million households out of fuel poverty.

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Earlier in the conference hall, we heard form Wales' first minister, Eluned Morgan, who launched an impassioned defence of her party's record in government in Cardiff.

Morgan - who took the job in August - said Labour, which has led the Welsh government since 1999, had made "remarkable progress".

She told delegates: "In Wales if you are over 60 and you need to catch a bus - it's free, if you’re parking in a hospital - it's free, if you need medicine - it's free, and since I have become first minister, I’m proud to say that if you are a primary school child in Wales your lunch - is free."

Lady Morgan admitted the NHS was "under pressure" in Wales and needed reform - but argued that Welsh Labour was further ahead with those reforms.

• Read more: What do people think of Welsh devolution after 25 years?

Jennifer McKiernan
Reporting from Liverpool

I went to one of many fringe events discussing how Labour can achieve its commitment to build 1.5m new homes in the next five years.

At this one, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook and Treasury select committee chair Meg Hillier were on the panel.

Hillier, who’s also the MP for Hackney, highlighted the £2 billion bill for temporary accommodation as a result of homelessness and said building new homes would provide much better value for money for the taxpayer.

Agreeing, Pennycook said his plan included getting communities on board with housing developments by providing higher-quality design from a wider variety of housebuilders.

He also insisted he could retain public support with the "strategic release" of some green belt land.

Following complaints that holiday lets, including Airbnbs, were crowding out homes for longer-term rent and sale in certain communities, and also causing some issues with crime and antisocial behaviour, I asked if he would commit to new laws licensing those landlords and introducing a cap on numbers.

Pennycook told me wanted to "go further" than the Conservatives had, by giving councils the “tools they need” to manage short-term holiday lets and also prevent “excessive concentrations”.

Craig Hutchison
Live reporter

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Back in the conference hall, we've just heard from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who told the conference his party delivered a "political earthquake" north of the border in July.

Sarwar said the general election delivered 37 Labour MPs and put "Scotland at the heart of a Labour government".

After warm applause, the Scottish Labour leader told the MPs to "stand up and take a bow" - which was warmly received.

Sarwar said "the time is up for the SNP" - and, echoing Rachel Reeves, said: "There will be no return to austerity with a Labour government."