Labour Conference secrets and techniques and mischievous gossip from behind the scenes of Day 1

Labour Party Conference isn’t just about the big keynote speeches and stage-managed photo opportunities.

Away from the main stage, in the bars, discos and dark corners is where the real fun unfolds.

Every day, the Mirror Politics team – and our army of willing spies – brings you all the gossip, secrets and behind-closed-doors intrigue from the new Government’s gathering in Liverpool.

Starmer on the ropes

IF Keir Starmer looked like he’d been five rounds with Daniel Dubois at breakfast on Sunday morning…that’s because he had.

Onlookers said the Prime Minister looked “shattered” as he kicked off the first full day of conference. But he hadn’t been up all night celebrating Labour ’s first conference as a government for 15 years, or rehearsing his keynote speech.

No, he was on the ropes because he’d stayed up late watching Dubois KO Anthony Joshua until the early hours.

‘Stay away from the glitter’

EARLIER in the evening, the PM had some words of advice – recalling last year’s on-stage antics from a protester.

“A word of warning,” he told delegates at the Yorkshire reception.

“Stay away from the glitter. It is now treason to throw glitter on me, though the prison places are a bit tight at the moment. We’ll lock you in the Tower and you don’t want to wake up there.”

Football freebies

When the story about Keir Starmer’s freebie glasses emerged, it was quickly branded “glasses-gate”. When it moved on to his wife’s clothes, it became “wardrobegate”.

But now the PM’s box at Arsenal is making news, word around conference is that it’s being dubbed “Gooner gate”.

Sleeper train

WHICH senior minister had to get a sleep-deprived early train to London the morning after Labour’s election victory in July – but was so tired they fell asleep, treating commuters to the sight of their face smushed up against the window of the train?

Conference highlights for Monday

• 12noon: Rachel Reeves gives her first keynote conference speech as Chancellor
• 12noon: The Dentists for All fringe event, chaired by our own Sophie Huskisson and with Stephen Kinnock speaking. Location: ACC Room 11A