London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jan 25, 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
U.S. winter storm triggers 13,000-plus flight cancellations and 160,000 power outages
Poland delays euro adoption as Domański cites $1tn economy and zloty advantage
White House: Trump warns Canada of 100% tariff if Carney finalizes China trade deal
PLA opens CMC probe of Zhang Youxia, Liu Zhenli over Xi authority and discipline violations
ICE and DHS immigration raids in Minneapolis: the use-of-force accountability crisis in mass deportation enforcement
UK’s Starmer and Trump Agree on Urgent Need to Bolster Arctic Security
Starmer Breaks Diplomatic Restraint With Firm Rebuke of Trump, Seizing Chance to Advocate for Europe
UK Finance Minister Reeves to Join Starmer on China Visit to Bolster Trade and Economic Ties
Prince Harry Says Sacrifices of NATO Forces in Afghanistan Deserve ‘Respect’ After Trump Remarks
Barron Trump Emerges as Key Remote Witness in UK Assault and Rape Trial
Nigel Farage Attended Davos 2026 Using HP Trust Delegate Pass Linked to Sasan Ghandehari
Gold Jumps More Than 8% in a Week as the Dollar Slides Amid Greenland Tariff Dispute
BlackRock Executive Rick Rieder Emerges as Leading Contender to Succeed Jerome Powell as Fed Chair
Boston Dynamics Atlas humanoid robot and LG CLOiD home robot: the platform lock-in fight to control Physical AI
United States under President Donald Trump completes withdrawal from the World Health Organization: health sovereignty versus global outbreak early-warning access
FBI and U.S. prosecutors vs Ryan Wedding’s transnational cocaine-smuggling network: the fight over witness-killing and cross-border enforcement
Trump Administration’s Iran Military Buildup and Sanctions Campaign Puts Deterrence Credibility on the Line
Apple and OpenAI Chase Screenless AI Wearables as the Post-iPhone Interface Battle Heats Up
Tech Brief: AI Compute, Chips, and Platform Power Moves Driving Today’s Market Narrative
NATO’s Stress Test Under Trump: Alliance Credibility, Burden-Sharing, and the Fight Over Strategic Territory
OpenAI’s Money Problem: Explosive Growth, Even Faster Costs, and a Race to Stay Ahead
Trump Reverses Course and Criticises UK-Mauritius Chagos Islands Agreement
Elizabeth Hurley Tells UK Court of ‘Brutal’ Invasion of Privacy in Phone Hacking Case
UK Bond Yields Climb as Report Fuels Speculation Over Andy Burnham’s Return to Parliament
America’s Venezuela Oil Grip Meets China’s Demand: Market Power, Legal Shockwaves, and the New Rules of Energy Leverage
TikTok’s U.S. Escape Plan: National Security Firewall or Political Theater With a Price Tag?
Trump’s Board of Peace: Breakthrough Diplomacy or a Hostile Takeover of Global Order?
Trump’s Board of Peace: Breakthrough Diplomacy or a Hostile Takeover of Global Order?
The Greenland Gambit: Economic Genius or Political Farce?
The Greenland Gambit: Economic Genius or Political Farce?
The Greenland Gambit: Economic Genius or Political Farce?
Will AI Finally Make Blue-Collar Workers Rich—or Is This Just Elite Tech Spin?
Prince William to Make Official Visit to Saudi Arabia in February
Prince Harry Breaks Down in London Court, Says UK Tabloids Have Made Meghan Markle’s Life ‘Absolute Misery’
Malin + Goetz UK Business Enters Administration, All Stores Close
EU and UK Reject Trump’s Greenland-Linked Tariff Threats and Pledge Unified Response
UK Deepfake Crackdown Puts Intense Pressure on Musk’s Grok AI After Surge in Non-Consensual Explicit Images
Prince Harry Becomes Emotional in London Court, Invokes Memory of Princess Diana in Testimony Against UK Tabloids
UK Inflation Rises Unexpectedly but Interest Rate Cuts Still Seen as Likely
AI vs Work: The Battle Over Who Controls the Future of Labor
Buying an Ally’s Territory: Strategic Genius or Geopolitical Breakdown?
AI Everywhere: Power, Money, War, and the Race to Control the Future
Trump vs the World Order: Disruption Genius or Global Arsonist?
Trump vs the World Order: Disruption Genius or Global Arsonist?
Trump vs the World Order: Disruption Genius or Global Arsonist?
Trump vs the World Order: Disruption Genius or Global Arsonist?
Arctic Power Grab: Security Chessboard or Climate Crime Scene?
Starmer Steps Back from Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ Amid Strained US–UK Relations
Prince Harry’s Lawyer Tells UK Court Daily Mail Was Complicit in Unlawful Privacy Invasions
UK Government Approves China’s ‘Mega Embassy’ in London Amid Debate Over Security and Diplomacy
×