Summary

  • Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer attempts to reposition the Labour Party in a major speech to conference in Liverpool

  • Sir Keir promises a "fresh start" for the UK, and pledges to invest in the NHS, green energy and "spread opportunity to all"

  • He says the Conservative government has lost control of the economy with its tax cutting agenda - "don't forget, don't forgive", he says

  • He says they "crashed the pound" and vowed to get the UK out of an "endless cycle of crisis"

  • He says the war in Ukraine was the spark that caused rising energy costs, but that the country was not in a position to deal with it

  • He pledges to set up a publicly-owned green energy company within a year if he is elected, with 100% clean power by 2030

  • And he vowed that a Labour government would "make Brexit work" and "deliver change" in Scotland - but would not do a deal with the SNP

  1. What happened today?published at 17:30 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Sir Keir Starmer delivers his speech in front of a large union flagImage source, EPA

    We'll be pausing our live coverage soon.

    Before we do, let's recap what happened today. All eyes were on Labour leader Keir Starmer as he delivered his major speech on the final day of the party's annual conference.

    Economy

    Starmer said the public must never forgive the Tories for "crashing" the pound and sought to style Labour as an economically responsible party.

    Energy

    He said a Labour government would create a publicly-owned renewable energy firm aimed at delivering British jobs and achieving carbon-free electricity by 2030.

    Housing

    He promised a new 70% home ownership target if Labour won power, with proposals to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder.

    NHS

    He pledged to increase the NHS workforce under Labour; taking on an extra 7,500 medical students every year, doubling the number of district nurses, and offering 10,000 extra nursing placements.

    For the full details of the day, read our main story here.

    Thanks for joining us. Today's live coverage was brought to you by Dulcie Lee, James FitzGerald, Alys Davies, Alexandra Fouché, Andre Rhoden-Paul and Nathan Williams.

  2. WATCH: Key moments from Starmer's speechpublished at 17:23 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Missed the big speech? Get up to speed in two minutes with the key moments here:

  3. Suspended Labour MP apologisespublished at 17:18 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Labour MP Rupa Huq has apologised for comments she made about the Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.

    As we've been reporting, she has been suspended from the parliamentary party pending an investigation, after she called the chancellor "superficially" black.

    She said her comments were "ill-judged" and said she has contacted the chancellor to offer her "sincere and heartfelt apologies".

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  4. The day in picturespublished at 17:02 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Keir Starmer and his wife sit at a table eating breakfastImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    The Labour leader kicked off his day by having breakfast with his wife Victoria (orange juice and chocolate cereal for the eagle-eyed). Starmer met his wife on a particularly frosty work call - but the pair evidently turned things round and have been married since 2007

    Starmer gestures by holding up a finger as he delivers his speechImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Starmer later delivered his hour-long speech to a packed conference hall, pledging a "fresh start" for the UK under Labour

    The Labour front bench smile as Starmer delivers his speechImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Labour's shadow cabinet were out in force to watch Starmer's speech (right to left: Angela Rayner, Rachel Reeves, David Lammy, Yvette Cooper, Wes Streeting and Lisa Nandy)

    Starmer walks out of the hall after his speech grinning hand-in-hand with his wifeImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Afterwards, Starmer walked hand-in-hand with his wife Victoria, greeting party members as he left the hall

  5. Suspended MP's comments unacceptable - Raynerpublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Rupa HuqImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Rupa Huq, pictured here in 2019, is MP for Ealing Central and Acton in Greater London

    Let's get more detail now on the Labour MP who was suspended a short time ago for comments made about the Conservative Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.

    Pending an investigation, Rupa Huq has been suspended from the parliamentary Labour party after she called Kwarteng "superficially" black.

    Speaking about the chancellor at a party conference fringe event, Huq also said: "If you hear him on the Today programme, you wouldn't know he's black."

    Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said the comments were "unacceptable" and Huq should apologise.

    Huq, who will now sit in Parliament as an independent MP, is yet to respond to the BBC's request for a comment.

    Read our full story here.

  6. 'I wanted substance and I got that'published at 16:17 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Becky Morton
    Reporting from Labour conference in Liverpool

    Barnaby Webb
    Image caption,

    Barnaby was broadly positive about Starmer's speech

    "My initial reaction to the speech was better than expected," says Barnaby Webb.

    The 20-year-old student from Norwich wanted to hear "substance" and he feels he got that through the pledge to set up a publicly owned energy company.

    "Before today I couldn’t tell you what he believed in but at least now I can give you some policies."

    He also says conference feels "less divided" than last year.

    "I wasn't sure coming here if Labour was for me but this has definitely left me more confident now," he adds.

    Barnaby says he did like Jeremy Corbyn but feels "Starmer did what he had to do because the party was so divided".

    He also says the Labour leader seemed "a lot more charismatic" than last year and "felt comfortable on the stage".

    Torin Page
    Image caption,

    Torin felt Starmer's speech was stronger than his previous ones

    Torin Page, 24 and from Leicester agrees. "He's definitely improved as a public speaker," he says, describing the speech as "almost presidential".

    He doesn’t think the speech was "brimming with policy" and would have liked to hear more on devolution.

    But he welcomes the promise of a nationalised energy company. "I do get he’s got to focus on the cost-of-living crisis," he adds.

  7. WATCH: 'Green superpower' - Starmer on energy planpublished at 16:09 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Sir Keir Starmer has said a Labour government would commit to making the UK 100% clean power by 2030.

    During his conference speech, he said a "huge national effort" would turn the UK into a "green growth superpower".

  8. 'I'm hearing a man I understand'published at 16:01 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Joshua Nevett
    Political reporter in Liverpool

    Susanna Caira-Neeson and her son Calum
    Image caption,

    Susanna Caira-Neeson and her son Calum were impressed by the speech

    As crowds pour out of the conference hall, I've been gathering some reactions to Sir Keir’s speech.

    First I spoke to Zoe Reilly, a Labour councillor who seems pumped up by what the party’s leader had to say. "I thought it was amazing," she says.

    Unlike some politicians, she says, Sir Keir is "authentic", adding politics doesn't need to be “populist” to win over voters.

    Next, I ask Luthfa Rahman if she understands Sir Keir’s vision for the country. "I see a clearer picture for the future and society," she says.

    Lastly, I chat to Susanna Caira-Neeson - a Labour councillor in Basildon - and her son Calum.

    Susanna says she thinks the speech was "inspiring" and was an attempt to "project himself to the rest of the country"."

    "He can be very sort of lawyer-ish," she says. "But that's the kind of prime minister we need, someone with a bit of morality."

    Calum, who has been sceptical about the Labour leader in the past, agrees: Sir Keir does have a tendency to sound lawyerly at times.

    "I didn't hear that in his speech," he says. "I thought, this is weird, I'm hearing a man I understand.

    "A lot more inspiring than I’m used to with Keir. I gave him a standing ovation, which I don’t do for anyone."

  9. Labour MP Rupa Huq has whip suspendedpublished at 15:54 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    We're hearing that Labour MP Rupa Huq has had the whip suspended by her party.

    It follows alleged comments made at the Labour Party conference about the Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.

    Labour is investigating.

  10. Rayner says Starmer's speech was 'inspiring'published at 15:52 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Deputy leader of the Labour party, Angela Rayner (left), and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer at the Labour Party Conference on 26 SeptemberImage source, EPA

    Deputy leader of the Labour party Angela Rayner says Sir Keir Starmer's speech was "incredibly inspiring".

    "He's talking about how he was a working class kid, he talked about how proud his parents were living in a pebbledash terraced house," she told the BBC after the speech.

    "I felt that that was the Keir that I see day in, day out."

    She adds she thinks it's "a powerful speech that gave every part of the UK some hope" that things can change.

  11. Positive reaction outside conference hallpublished at 15:47 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Becky Morton
    Reporting from Labour conference

    There's a positive reception for Starmer‘s speech outside the conference hall, with many people citing the pledge for a publicly owned energy company as a big vote winner.

    Chris Hawkins, 22 from Darlington, describes this as "the best way to drive growth in this country".

    "As someone who is young, the focus on green energy and climate change is really important," he says.

    However, Chris says he would have liked to see more of a focus on education and things like the Sure Start programme brought in under Tony Blair, which aimed to improve early years development.

    Simran Cheema

    Simran Cheema, a councillor in Walsall, says the speech addressed all the big issues, including the cost-of-living crisis and renewable energy.

    Nicolle Ndiweni

    Nicolle Ndiweni, 33 and from Derby, says it now feels like Labour is "ready" for government.

    She says the speech included some "bold" policies, including the Great British Energy pledge, and did "a great job of bringing people together".

  12. What did Starmer say?published at 15:34 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    With Sir Keir Starmer's speech now over, let's take a look back at some of the key announcements he made:

    • Starmer said Labour must build a "fairer", "greener", and "more dynamic" nation - a slogan that cropped up continuously throughout the speech
    • He also unveiled plans to create a publicly-owned renewable energy giant - Great British Energy
    • Starmer styled Labour as an economically responsible party, which he said would defeat the cost-of-living crisis and stabilise the economy for businesses
    • He said he would increase the NHS workforce; taking on an extra 7,500 medical students every year, doubling the number of district nurses, and offering 10,000 extra nursing placements
    • Sir Keir talked about Labour's green prosperity plan which he said would bring cheaper bills and higher living standards to everyone
    • He said he wants 70% of the population to be homeowners - offering new mortgage guarantees and a clampdown on buy-to-let landlords
  13. WATCH: 'Don't forget, don't forgive' - Starmer on Tory tax planspublished at 15:22 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Sir Keir Starmer has promised a brighter economic future under a Labour government - launching an attack on the Conservatives' management of the UK economy.

    When talking about the government cutting tax cuts for the "richest 1% in our society", he tells the audience at the Labour conference in Liverpool: "Don't forget, don't forgive."

  14. Starmer sees this as a big moment for Labourpublished at 15:06 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Nick Eardley
    Chief political correspondent, reporting from Labour conference

    Labour's psyche has changed.

    When Sir Keir Starmer became leader, it seemed he was there for a rebuild job after the terrible election result in 2019.

    Many Labour insiders think they have achieved that now. So in his speech, we heard Sir Keir Starmer talk about plans for government; from driving economic growth to setting up an energy generation company.

    Sir Keir more than once talked about those big moments in the Labour Party's history, when it went from opposition to government; 1945, 1964 and 1997 are totemic moments in British political history and Sir Keir thinks he can emulate them.

    It's a big ask given the Conservative majority in Parliament and the dramatic fall in support in many old Labour heartlands. But it's the challenge the Labour Party has just set itself.

  15. Standing ovation for Starmer as he finishes speechpublished at 15:01 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    British Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and wife Victoria at the Labour Party annual conference in Liverpool on 27 September 2022Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Sir Keir Starmer with his wife Victoria

    And after almost an hour on his feet, Starmer ends his speech to a loud standing ovation from the packed hall.

    It's all smiles from his shadow cabinet on the front row too, as he gives his wife a hug on stage.

    And then he shakes hands with party members as he and his wife leave the hall.

  16. 'This is a Labour moment'published at 15:00 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    "This is a Labour moment," says Starmer as he wraps up his speech, which lasted just under an hour.

    He points to historic victories for his party in 1945, 1964 and 1997 - suggesting past glories can be repeated.

    Starmer pledges to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and - reiterating his key slogan - to build a "fairer, greener, more dynamic nation".

    Working people would succeed under a Labour government, he says, and the UK can become a "clean energy superpower".

  17. Labour is 'the political wing of the British people'published at 14:59 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    British Labour leader Keir Starmer, former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown talk ahead of the Accession Council ceremony at St James's Palace in London on 10 September 2022Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Sir Keir Starmer with former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown at King Charles III's Accession Council ceremony earlier this month

    Quoting former Labour leader Sir Tony Blair, Starmer says Labour is the "political wing of the British people".

    "And we can achieve great things," he adds.

    The party had briefed that echoing Sir Tony is an intentional move to show that Labour is "back in the centre ground" and in the "mainstream" of public opinion.

    Following the quote, he adds however that "the next two years will be tough".

    "We need to be prepared, disciplined, focused" and "work to the gain confidence of British people".

  18. No deal with the SNP, Starmer says to applausepublished at 14:58 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Starmer says Scotland needs a Labour government to deliver.

    He says Scotland needs the power and resources to shape its own future, whoever is in power in Westminster. "The SNP are not interested," he says.

    For them, Scotland's success in the UK is "met with gritted teeth" and seen as a "roadblock" to independence - "so they stand in the way", he says.

    "We can't work with them. We won't work with them. No deal under any circumstances," he says as the room erupts in applause.

  19. 'We will make Brexit work'published at 14:56 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    Starmer turns to Brexit, acknowledging that he voted to remain in the EU, but pledging to "make Brexit work and deliver change".

    He says he doesn’t believe people voted for Brexit to "slash workers' rights or... end redistribution", or cause other problems in British society.

    “Whether you voted leave or remain, you’ve been let down,” he says, in a direct address to people who left Labour over the European issue.

  20. State of public services shows 'exactly who the Tories are'published at 14:53 British Summer Time 27 September 2022

    British Labour Party leader Keir Starmer speaks at the Britain's Labour Party annual conference in Liverpool, Britain, on 27 September 2022Image source, Reuters

    "We must think differently about our public services," Starmer states.

    "In health, it's about moving treatments towards our communities, exploring how technology can free up NHS workers to focus on care.

    "In education, it means not just imparting knowledge, but developing the creativity, the curiosity young people need in a modern world.

    "In crime, it means a model of policing that will not let violence go unpunished."

    He says the state of public services shows "exactly who the Tories are. It shows you they fundamentally don't believe governments can help working people succeed".