Starmer expelled Corbyn from the parliamentary party months after taking over in 2020, and has since moved Labour closer to the center-ground of politics where he believes elections are won. Labour has led Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives by about 20 points in opinion polls for months, but after Corbyn led the party to its worst defeat since 1935 four years ago, the party needs another 123 seats for an outright majority. During the conference, his grip over Labour was put to the test when Corbyn, who shared platforms with Hamas supporters before he became leader, repeatedly declined to condemn the militant group’s attack on Israel over the weekend. “I utterly condemn the senseless murder of men, women and children in cold blood by the terrorists of Hamas.” Labour activists stood to applaud. “Israel must always have the right to defend her people,” Starmer said. He underscored it again as he addressed the attack on Israel by militant group Hamas. Starmer’s overhaul of Labour since the leadership of his left-wing predecessor Jeremy Corbyn was evident in his response to the protester. Yet there is still a sense there is more persuading to do, with an election due by January 2025 at the latest. Labour has adopted the tone of a government-in-waiting at an upbeat conference. The four-day gathering in Liverpool, northwest England, comes at a pivotal time for Starmer as he tries to boost Labour’s profile among undecided voters and convince them he’s ready to become prime minister. ![]() ![]() “Protest or power,” Starmer said after taking off his jacket. ![]() There was drama at the start of his keynote speech, as a protester came on stage behind him to pour glitter over his head. “This isn’t over - in fact, it’s barely begun,” Starmer told a packed hall at Labour’s annual conference on Tuesday, potentially the last such gathering before a national vote in which Labour could return to power. (Bloomberg) - Keir Starmer promised a decade of national renewal after 13 years of Conservative government, urging his Labour Party to be “disciplined” and “ready to fight back” against Rishi Sunak’s Tories ahead of a general election expected next year.
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