Keir Starmer is already facing a meltdown as he kicks off his first Labour conference in power less than three months after an historic election landslide.
The PM has admitted he needs to stabilise his government as he struggles to contain fury over ‘freebies’, a wave of bitter briefing about his chief aide Sue Gray, and the backlash at axing winter fuel payments.
Sir Keir is in Liverpool for the first day of the annual gathering, but hopes that it might be a victory lap after the extraordinary victory in July have been summarily dashed.
A grim poll by Opinium found Sir Keir’s personal ratings have plummeted by 45 points since the summer, with only 24 per cent of voters saying he is doing a good job.
Half of the public viewed him negatively, taking his overall net rating to minus 26 – slightly worse than Rishi Sunak at minus 25. Sir Keir’s first approval rating as PM was plus 19.
In other developments at conference today:
- Keir Starmer is facing fresh claims about accepting freebies after being pictured with Ms Gray at a Tottenham match;
- Anglela Rayner is under more pressure over her free holiday stay in New York at the apartment of a major Labour donor;
- Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir have tried to play down fears about the amount of pain to come in the Budget;
- Ms Reeves has said she ‘leads by example’ by going into the office five days a week;
Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner arrive at Labour conference in Liverpool yesterday
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has suggested she accepted clothes donations because she does not like shopping much
A shock poll shows Sir Keir’s personal rating has plummeted by 45 points since July
In an interview with the Observer, Sir Keir acknowledged that persistent infighting over Ms Gray’s role and salary was damaging and he has to act.
‘It is my job to do something about that and I accept that responsibility. And that just damages everybody,’ he said.
Sir Keir also tried to head off growing alarm about the threat of tax hikes and pubic spending cuts in the looming Budget on October 30.
He suggested working Brits are already facing too high a burden, and dismissed the idea of a return to austerity.
‘I’m acutely aware that our public services are on their knees, and there will always be some that say there’s an argument for deep cuts. I ran a public service,’ he said.
‘I know what cuts feel like. And I know that a lot of them are cut to the bone. And therefore we have got to make sure that our public services are functioning properly.’
In a nod to anxiety about his doom-laden warnings about the state of the country since July, Sir Keir indicated he would try to be more positive.
‘I want to answer the ‘why’ question as well as the ‘what’ question,’ he said.
‘We do need to say why and explain and set out and describe the better Britain that this ladders up to.’
Sir Keir, deputy leader Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves are all facing questions over accepting thousands of pounds from donors for clothing – and even spectacles.
Sir Keir’s chief aide Sue Gray has been at the centre of a bitter Labour briefing war
Downing Street desperately tried to draw a line under the furore on Friday evening by announcing that none of the three would accept donations for clothes in future.
Ms Reeves used an interview in the Sunday Times to argue that she took gifts because she is ‘not that into shopping’.
Meanwhile, Ms Rayner was under fresh scrutiny today over a free trip to a donor’s £2million New York apartment at New Year, with claims she was accompanied by an MP friend.
According to the Sunday Times, Sam Tarry, then the Ilford South MP, stayed with Ms Rayner at Lord Alli’s flat in Manhattan but his presence was not declared. He reportedly paid for flights but benefited from free accommodation.
The deputy PM’s aides said advice was taken and Mr Tarry’s stay did not need to be officially registered.
The row over the winter fuel allowance is still raging, with unions vowing a bid to force a rethink – with the potential for a showdown vote of delegates tomorrow.
In a range of announcements at conference, the PM has announced new ‘planning passports’, aimed at densifying urban areas by giving default approval to building works if they meet high standards for design and quality.
Ms Rayner will vow to build ‘homes fit for the future’ in her speech, including by introducing new protections for tenants against mould, damp and fire safety defects.
Defence Secretary John Healey has urged gamers to sign up to the military as he signalled there would be a relaxation in army recruitment rules amid efforts to counter foreign cyber threats.
Ms Reeves said her priorities for the autumn Budget include ‘protecting living standards’, as she ruled out proposals for a wealth tax.
With the conference taking place against a backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters have gathered in Liverpool to urge Labour to change its approach to the conflict.