2 godzin temu
Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) will use his leader's speech at the Labour conference to unite a fractious party behind a battle for the "soul" of Britain. The Prime Minister will take aim at Nigel Farage's Reform UK and the "politics of grievance", promising instead "a land of dignity and respect".
The speech comes at a challenging moment following speculation about a leadership challenge fuelled by criticism from Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham (Labour). However, Burnham insisted on Monday he believes Starmer is the right man for the job, whilst Farage's Reform continues to enjoy a comfortable polling advantage.
Battle for Britain's soul
Starmer will warn that further difficult choices lie ahead on the path to "national renewal", particularly with a November Budget potentially bringing tax hikes and spending squeezes. "Britain stands at a fork in the road," the Prime Minister will say. "We can choose decency. Or we can choose division."
He will frame the challenge as "a fight for the soul of our country, every bit as big as rebuilding Britain after the war". Starmer will compare Labour's current task to Clement Attlee's administration rebuilding Britain from Second World War ruins in 1945.
"Yet at the end of this hard road there will be a new country, a fairer country, a land of dignity and respect," he will promise. The Prime Minister believes Britain can "unite around a common good" to "end decline, reform our public services, grow our economy from the grassroots".
NHS technological revolution
Starmer will announce a new "online hospital" for English patients aimed at cutting waiting lists and providing quicker treatment. The scheme will begin operating in 2027 and deliver up to 8.5 million extra NHS appointments in its first three years.
Patients will access and track prescriptions, receive clinical advice, and book physical tests through the NHS app at nearby hospitals or diagnostic centres. Starmer will describe it as "a new chapter in the story of our NHS, harnessing the future, patients in control".
Conservative criticism
Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake will respond: "Keir Starmer calls this a fork in the road, but he's already driven Britain into a cul-de-sac of chaos. Families are fighting to cope with higher bills, higher taxes on their jobs and higher mortgage rates."
Health Secretary Wes Streeting (Labour) will claim there is an "existential threat" facing the NHS from Reform before Starmer's speech. "Our health service and our social care services need to change with the times, in order to ride the wave of that revolution, rather than see our people victims of it," he said.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
