Starmer continues with an attack on the Tories, citing issues for the public with sewage, healthcare and skyrocketing energy bills.

"Fail to prepare and you prepare to fail," he says, accusing the Conservatives of governing in a reckless manner and leaving the economy more brittle.

He says the Tories used to lecture Labour about "fixing the roof while the sun is shining".

But, he adds, his rivals haven't just failed to fix the roof - "they've ripped out the foundations and blown the doors off for good measure".

Nick Eardley
Chief political correspondent

The economic unrest of the last few days has dominated a lot of the discussion at this conference.

Keir Starmer is convinced the public will not agree with the decision to reduce tax for those on the highest salaries.

And early in this speech, we're seeing a message that Labour is going to hammer over the next few years; that the government has harmed the economy and should be held to account for it.

This used to be the sort of criticism the Conservatives made of the Conservatives.

Starmer says Labour must build a Britain that is "fairer, greener, more dynamic".

"We can't go on like this," he says, adding that the government has lost control of the British economy.

They've crashed the pound, he says, "and for what?"

"Not for you, not for working people, for tax cuts for the richest 1% in our society."

"Don't forget, don't forgive - the only way to stop this is with a Labour government," he says.

Starmer addresses the conference, saying, "we've seen two sides of Britain in the last few weeks.

"On one side, a nation united by a profound purpose. To pay its respects to a remarkable sovereign. And that queue, five miles at its peak. Even in death, our Queen found a unique way to capture the British spirit."

But on the other side, he says, there is a "Britain at sea" and "a cloud of anxiety hangs over working people".

"At moments of uncertainty like this, we must provide leadership, walk towards a better future, and build a new Britain together."

"A Britain that is fairer, greener, more dynamic and that isn't afraid to use the power of government to help working people succeed. Because we can't go on like this."

Starmer starts off with a joke.

He hails "all the changes we've made" and lots of "hard work" - saying Arsenal are finally top of the Premier League.

He then makes a serious point about host city Liverpool, saying "for too long this city has been let down".

He goes on to say he would put a Hillsborough Law on the statute book, referring to plans to support victims of major tragedies.

Labour leader Keir Starmer is met with loud whoops and applause as he takes to the stage, over booming music in the huge hall.

He's introduced as the Labour leader and "our next prime minister".

The conference hall in Liverpool is packed with party members - and Labour's shadow cabinet all sit on the front row.

We'll bring you all the details as Starmer lays out his vision for a Labour government.

Keir Starmer is on his feet, about to begin his big speech in Liverpool, addressing Labour delegates at the party's conference.

He's expected to talk about offering a fresh start for the country and attack the Tories over the economy.

Stay with us for updates.

Conference has been told the session is about to begin. Seats are filling up, with the crowd almost at capacity.

Chatter of the speech to come resonates through the hall, as we await Labour's leader in a media scrum at the side of the venue.

Nick Eardley
Chief political correspondent

Can Labour win power at the next election?

Plenty of people around this conference seem to think so. Members of the shadow cabinet are more confident than they have been for years.

In his speech, expect Sir Keir Starmer to talk about taking the fight to the government on the economy. The last few days have been about promising economic growth, but in a way that Labour thinks is fair.

Sir Keir’s big pitch is to say his party is trustworthy and will be sensible if it does win power. There has been a concerted effort to sell Starmer’s Labour as a centrist party.

There’s still a big mountain for Labour to climb to be the biggest party in the Commons, never mind win a majority. The government thinks its plan is going to work and win over voters.

But Labour is up for the ideological battle and thinks it can win.

Joshua Nevett
Reporting from Labour conference

A huge queue is forming outside the main conference hall as anticipation builds for Sir Keir Starmer’s headline speech which starts in just under 15 minutes.

The queue snakes down the side of the exhibition centre, where stalls fill the room.

On the Tannoy, members and delegates were warned to get there early to secure a seat, which seem to be in short supply.

Shadow cabinet ministers are filing in. As we head into the hall, Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves walks past, looking relaxed as she greets colleagues crowded around the entrance.

Becky Morton
Political reporter, at Labour conference

We're expecting a few policy announcements in Starmer's speech this afternoon and the papers give us some idea of what these might include.

The Daily Mirror says, external there will be a pledge to get 1.5 million more people on the housing ladder in five years, with Starmer proclaiming Labour is "the party of home ownership".

Plans will include giving first-time buyers first dibs on new developments in their area and raising the stamp duty paid by foreign individuals when they buy a property in the UK, according to the paper.

Meanwhile, the Guardian reports, external that Starmer will announce plans for a major overhaul of the skills and apprenticeships system based on work by the Council for Skills Advisors, which is led by Lord Blunkett, a former education secretary under Tony Blair.

The paper says Labour will promise to reform the apprenticeship levy, which is paid by larger companies, by giving them the flexibility to spend up to 50% of their contributions on other types of training.

Image source, PA Media

Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey has made a surprise appearance at the Labour Party conference to make a speech on water pollution.

The environmental campaigner and Teenage Kicks singer says water companies are "profiteering" while every river in England is polluted, often by the industry itself.

The rock band singer highlights what he says is the injustice of water companies dumping sewage into rivers and the sea while paying executives millions of pounds.

He denounces the companies as "privatised by Margaret Thatcher, presided over for the last 12 years by a Conservative government drunk on the complacency, founded on indifference, propped up by a regulatory system infested by failure and exploited by an industry corrupted by the fragrance of greed".

And he accuses the companies and the government collectively of "an unprecedented attack on the environment".

Nick Eardley
Chief political correspondent, reporting from Labour conference

There’s a buzz about Labour conference that hasn’t been here for a while.

This is a party that thinks it has a good chance of forming the next government.

Speaking to members of the shadow cabinet, there is genuine confidence about the party’s prospects.

When Keir Starmer stands up at 2pm, he will try to plant his flag firmly in the centre ground of British politics. The leadership believes that is where it can win from.

And I hear Starmer will seek to present this as a moment where his party could be on the verge of emulating famous Labour victories.

He will invoke 1945 (Clement Attlee), 1964 (Harold Wilson) and, yes, 1997 – when Tony Blair won that landslide.

Labour may say it’s not taking anything for granted – but it’s starting to think big.

But remember - the Conservative government believe its plan for the economy will bear fruit. Senior Tories argue the economy can ride the turmoil at the moment and come out much stronger at the other end.

Image source, Reuters

Labour has set out plans to put 13,000 more police officers on the streets as part of its pledge to be "tough on crime".

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the party’s conference in Liverpool that she would introduce a "fully-funded £360m programme" that would put 13,000 additional police and community support officers into community teams.

She said Labour would strengthen police training and vetting procedures.

Cooper also promised to change the law to crackdown on criminal gangs who exploit children.

She said a Labour government would use "mental health professionals, safe schools officers and mentors" to support young people at risk.

Echoing Tony Blair’s slogan of "tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime", she told delegates: "We will outlaw the exploitation of children for crime."

Chris Mason
Political editor

In government, there is nervousness about talking about what is going on.

And there is nervousness about NOT talking about what is going on.

What does that tell you? It tells you the government has been a reluctant passenger on this big dipper of market volatility that it strapped itself and the rest of us into.

There appears to be some relief that the markets overnight are not as bumpy.

They think, they hope -- and there's a lot of hoping going on -- that the double dose of attempted reassurance from the Treasury and the Bank of England yesterday shows as road map without a panic.

But guess what? No sooner had I just said what you've just read on the radio and a minister texted me suggesting this was "too optimistic."

"The impact on mortgage rates of these ill-considered policies will be very damaging. I can't see the pound rising substantially, in fact it feels more likely to drift down further over time if this path is continued."

Image source, PA Media

Keir Starmer's speech is happening against a backdrop of fears for the economy.

On Monday the pound fell to a record low against the dollar, as markets reacted to the UK's biggest tax cuts in 50 years.

It came after Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng had also hinted at further tax cuts to come, on top of the £45bn package he announced on Friday.

Since then the Bank of England has said it would "not hesitate" to hike interest rates and mortgage deals have been withdrawn by banks and building societies.

Starmer will be hoping to contrast Labour's approach with that of the government, accusing them of "losing control of the British economy".

Labour has said it would open specialist rape courts in England and Wales if it wins the next election.

Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed said the courts would help "tackle the epidemic of violence against women and girls" and reduce the courts backlog.

He told delegates at the party’s conference in Liverpool that Labour would also address domestic violence, forcing convicted abusers to sign a domestic violence register.

"The majority of men who kill their female partners have a history of domestic violence. Neither women, nor the police, have any way of knowing if a new partner has attacked women before," he said.

"And by the time they find out, it can be too late."

Yesterday, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves vowed to restore the top rate of tax paid by high earners and spend the money on hiring more NHS workers.

In her speech, she accused Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng of behaving like "desperate gamblers in a casino", as well as arguing they have "lost credibility" after announcing the end of the 45p rate of tax on people earning more than £150,000.

Reeves also described the prime minister and chancellor as being "out of control", following a significant fall in the value of the pound since Kwarteng’s speech on Friday – which also announced a slew of other tax reductions to be paid for by borrowing.

Labour is now the party of economic competence, she said to raucous cheers from delegates.

The party has said it plans to restore the top level of tax, but would keep the government’s decision to reduce the base tax rate to 19p – a 1p cut to taxes on earnings between £12,571 and £50,270.

Joshua Nevett
Reporting from Labour conference

In the belly of Labour’s conference centre, party members are browsing the many stalls ahead of Sir Keir Starmer’s big speech later on.

It's a hive of activity, with political organisations, unions and businesses of all kinds thronging the venue.

But two stalls are attracting particularly high footfall. One is the official Labour Shop, where customers can buy an array of party-themed merchandise. If members wish to show off their party alliance, there’s a mug, a hoody, or even a facemask for that.

Business has been roaring but the best-selling item, one shop assistant tells me, is the red-and-white socks. "Sock it to the Tories," they say.

Over at Blackwell’s Bookshop, The Communist Manifesto sits on the shelves alongside newer releases like Go Big by shadow minister Ed Miliband, who’s due to do a signing here later.

The most popular book so far? Shadow minister Nick Thomas-Symonds's new biography, Harold Wilson: The Winner.

Becky Morton
Reporting from Labour conference

At Labour's party conference last year, Keir Starmer was heckled during his keynote speech.

This year the atmosphere is very different.

A rendition of God Save the King at the start of the conference passed without incident. Criticism of that move and Starmer’s approach more broadly have been largely been confined to the fringes.

There is a feeling of optimism that Labour is now more united and in a strong position to take on the Tories on the economy.

However, for some there are still questions over whether the Labour leader’s policy visions are bold enough to excite voters.