London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Sep 11, 2026

Labour conference: Starmer to quote Tony Blair in pitch for power

Labour conference: Starmer to quote Tony Blair in pitch for power

Labour is back in the centre ground of British politics and ready to offer the country a "fresh start" under his leadership, Sir Keir Starmer will say.

In his speech to his party's annual conference, Sir Keir will claim to have transformed Labour into a party in tune with the majority of voters.

He will accuse the government of losing control of the economy.

And he will quote predecessor Sir Tony Blair, who once described Labour as the "political wing of the British people".

Mr Blair was the last Labour leader to win a majority at a general election.

His name has been out of favour in left wing circles in recent years - but Sir Keir hopes to emulate him at the next general election by ejecting a long-serving Conservative government from power.

Labour's conference has been overshadowed by economic turmoil, as the markets reacted to Conservative Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's plan to borrow billions to fund tax cuts.

In his speech, Sir Keir will say: "What we've seen from the government in the past few days has no precedent.

"They've lost control of the British economy - and for what? For tax cuts for the richest 1% in our society."


'Fight the Tories'


Sir Keir's strategy to boost growth includes a green prosperity plan to create a million new jobs in towns and cities across the country.

He will pledge to bring down energy bills, raise living standards and tackle the climate crisis, within 100 days of forming a government.

And he will tell delegates in Liverpool he is ready to "fight the Tories on economic growth" with a plan to "turn the UK into a growth superpower" by investing heavily in green energy projects.

Sir Keir will argue "we cannot afford to miss out" on the opportunity to lead the world in renewable energy, electric vehicles and harnessing new hydrogen power.

He will also claim that Labour is now the party of "sound money".


'Fresh start'


A Labour spokesman said echoing Sir Tony Blair is an intentional move to show that Labour is "back in the centre ground" and in the "mainstream" of public opinion.

"Ultimately he wants to be the next Labour leader who takes the party from opposition into government," the spokesman said.

In his speech, Sir Keir will cite the respectful tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II at the start of the conference on Sunday, as an example of how much the party has changed since he took over in 2019.

Some Labour delegates were unhappy about Sir Keir's decision to lead a chorus of God Save the King but criticism from the left of the party has so far been more muted than last year, when Sir Keir was heckled during his keynote speech.

In this year's speech, Sir Keir will declare that Labour will get the UK "out of this endless cycle of crisis with a fresh start, a new set of priorities and a new way of governing".

"We should never be left cowering in a brace position, worrying about how to get through a winter. It's time for Britain to stand tall again," he will say.

Sir Keir has pledged to reverse the abolition of the top rate of tax income, but would keep the chancellor's reduction of the bottom rate to 19p in the pound.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has said her fiscal rules set out that increased borrowing is permitted during national emergencies.


Labour: National anthem sung in tribute to Queen


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
English Councils to Gain Power to Introduce Tourist Taxes by 2028
Kemi Badenoch Reshuffles Conservative Shadow Cabinet
Firefighters Make Progress Containing Major Wildfires in South Wales
John Lewis Partnership Reports £124 Million Loss
Study Says UK AI Data Centres Will Create Only a Quarter of Forecast Jobs
UK Government Considers Higher Industrial Water Prices Amid Supply Pressures
Andy Burnham Holds First Call With Donald Trump as UK Prime Minister
NHS Records Busiest Summer on Record as Heatwaves Drive Hospital Admissions
Home Secretary Orders Police Crackdown on Far-Right Anti-Migrant Vigilantes
UK Supreme Court Rules Northern Ireland Religious Education Curriculum Breaches Human Rights Standards
Markets Price in Four Bank of England Rate Rises by Next Summer
House of Commons Prepares Free Vote on Assisted Dying Bill
UK Government Bans Trade With Israeli Settlements in Occupied Territories
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in July as Artificial Intelligence Investment Supports Expansion
Andy Burnham Becomes UK Prime Minister After Keir Starmer Resigns
John Lewis Partnership Loss Widens to £124 Million
UK Government to Put White Working-Class Social Mobility at Centre of Equality Policy
McLaren Plans £450 Million Technology Investment Creating 1,000 UK Jobs
UK Chancellor Faces Calls for Wealth Taxes and Public Ownership in Autumn Budget
English Mayors to Gain Powers to Impose Uncapped Overnight Tourist Taxes
JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon Warns UK Government Against Bank Windfall Taxes
UK Air Traffic Control Outage Cancels More Than 2,000 Flights
UK Imposes Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements in the West Bank
UK Borrowing Costs Surge as Middle East Tensions Push Long-Term Gilt Yields to Highest Since 1998
Buckingham Palace Says Prince Harry and Meghan Will Not Resume Official Royal Duties
UK Treasury Faces Calls to Scrap £100,000 Childcare Support Threshold
Trades Union Congress Urges Labour Government to Rewrite Migration Policy
Riot Police Deployed After Anti-Migrant Protests Turn Violent in Portsmouth
UK Considers Replacing Some Disability Cash Payments With Direct Services
JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon Warns UK Chancellor Against Higher Banking Taxes
UK Announces New Sanctions Targeting Israeli Settlements in West Bank
Metropolitan Police Investigate Alleged Illegal Donations to Reform UK
UK Charges Wiltshire Man With Assisting Russian Intelligence
UK Orders Urgent Review After Air Traffic Failure Cancels More Than 2,000 Flights
Merz Rebukes AfD Expansion in Saxony-Anhalt
King Charles Confirms Prince Harry and Meghan Will Remain Private Citizens
Labour Selects Former Child Refugee for By-Election in Keir Starmer’s Former Seat
Foreign Private Equity Accelerates Takeovers of London-Listed Industrial Companies
NHS Maternity Care Faces Scrutiny Over Support for Mothers After Caesarean Births
BBC Warns Staff Strikes Are Likely Amid Job Cuts and Programme Cancellations
English Housing Affordability Improves to Best Level in More Than a Decade
UK Health Commission Proposes Framework for Wider AI Adoption Across NHS
Labour Faces Pressure for Wealth Tax Ahead of Autumn Budget
Metropolitan Police Open Criminal Investigation Into Alleged Foreign Donations to Reform UK
UK Police Deploy Riot Officers After Anti-Immigration Unrest in Portsmouth and Dover
UK Defends Sanctions on Israeli Settlements Despite Diplomatic Retaliation
UK Air Traffic Control Failure Cancels More Than 1,000 Flights and Disrupts 65,000 Passengers
Compass Urges £10 Million Wealth Tax and Public Ownership Ahead of UK Autumn Budget
UK Government’s Devolution Plans Face House of Lords Scrutiny
Maldives Seeks New Chagos Sovereignty Talks With UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham
×