Keir Starmer vows to steer Britain via storm as he makes guarantees to nation

Keir Starmer has vowed to steer Britain through the storm and said the grit of ordinary people would help create a country “built to last”.

In his first conference speech as Prime Minister, Mr Starmer said the doubters insisted Labour couldn’t win the election – and he would prove them wrong again by changing the country for the better. He said it would be tough to fix the mess left behind by the Tories but urged voters to stick with him to “get a country with its future back”.

Against a red backdrop emblazoned with Union Jacks and the words “Change Begins”, Mr Starmer sought to shake off the gloom and offer voters a glimmer of hope. “People said we couldn’t change the party but we did,” he said. “People said we couldn’t win across Britain but we did. People say we can’t deliver national renewal – but we can and we will.”

Amid a rowdy standing ovation, he said: “We will stabilise our economy, clear out the Tory rot, fix the foundations and deliver the mandate for change. A Britain built to last.”

The PM said while some things need to change, the grit and resilience of ordinary people endures despite years of Tory rule. He praised the spirit of the nation’s cleaners, drivers, teachers, small business owners – and said those who cleaned the streets and rebuilt after summer riots were “the backbone of our country”.

“No matter what the loudmouths say on social media, their values are the same,” Mr Starmer said. “So we will turn our collar up and face the storm. We will rise above the challenges that we’ve inherited. Because this is a country with fairness in the water, that believes in justice, and that wants working people to be respected.”

Urging people to stick with him, Mr Starmer went on: “What will people get to show for it? They’ll get a country with its future back. Renewed by respect and service. Rebalanced towards the interests of working people. Confident in its values and story.”

After criticism of Labour’s plan to axe the winter fuel allowance for millions of pensioners, he said many decisions “will be unpopular” but the cost of fixing the mess “must be shared fairly”. “If they (the decisions) were popular, they’d be easy,” Mr Starmer told activists.

“But the cost of filling that black hole in our public finances, that will be shared fairly. We will get the welfare bill down because we will tackle long-term sickness and support people back to work. We will make every penny work for you because we will root out waste and go after tax avoiders. There will be no stone left unturned.”

Mr Starmer promised there would be “no return to austerity” and public services will be rebuilt “in a Labour way” after fears of spending cuts in the upcoming Budget. In a fired-up address, he took aim at racist thugs and the “usual suspects” whipping up anti-immigration sentiment, receiving a standing ovation as he declared: “The country sees you and it rejects you”.

He said it was wrong to say that “millions of people concerned about immigration are one and the same thing as people who smashed up businesses, targeted mosques, attempted to burn refugees, scrawled racist graffiti over walls, Nazi salutes at the Cenotaph, attacked NHS nurses and told people with different coloured skin, people who contribute here, people who grew up here, that they should ‘go home’.

“No, people concerned about immigration were not doing that, because they understand that this country, this democratic country, is built on the rule of law, the ballot box, the common understanding that we debate our differences.” Drawing loud applause, the Prime Minister said: “I will never let a minority of violent, racist thugs terrorise our communities.” The PM dismissed the “toxic” arguments about the worth of migrants, saying “We must move on.”

Instead he said the Government needed to get a better grip on the immigration system and seized on the Brexiteers mantra, saying: “Taking back control is a Labour argument”. In a 54-minute speech, Mr Starmer urged all parties in the Middle East to “pull back from the brink” and for a ceasefire in Gaza.

But his speech was briefly interrupted by a pro-Palestinian protester, who was bundled out by security. Student Daniel Riley, 18, said he was infuriated by “hypocrisy” over British weapons being used in the Middle East. But the PM – who had glitter thrown over him during last year’s speech by a protestor – said: “While he’s been protesting, we’ve been changing the party. That’s why we got a Labour Government.”

Mr Riley, who was briefly detained by police before being released, told reporters outside the conference venue: “When I heard him speak about how he wanted a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, just the hypocrisy that every day we’re still sending British bombs and British bullets that are being used right now. And the Prime Minister could stop that right now but he doesn’t.”

After a string of rows over gloomy messaging and accepting freebies from donors, Mr Starmer said he wouldn’t be distracted by critics. “All those shouts and bellows, the bad faith advice from people who still hanker for the politics of noisy performance, the weak and cowardly fantasy of populism – it’s water off a duck’s back.” He quipped that it was “mere glitter on a shirt cuff. It’s never distracted me before, and it won’t distract me now”.

Mr Starmer was joined on stage at the end by his wife Victoria, clad in a red dress borrowed from designer Edeline Lee worth £1,105. It comes after No10 said Victoria would no longer accept cash for high-end clothes following a backlash over gifts for the PM and his wife from Labour donor Lord Alli.