Was this Starmer's best speech? Yes. But he'll need a new battle plan to convince a doubting Britain | Martin Kettle

"Keir Starmer saved his best for the fragile circumstances of a difficult Labour conference. It may not yet be enough to save him. All the same, this was by some way Starmer's most effective and certainly his most interesting conference speech since becoming Labour leader five years ago. Not a particularly high bar, it must be admitted, since Starmer is no great orator but at least the bar is one that he cleared. In the dire situation now facing Labour, this mattered a lot."

"In his earlier conference speeches, Starmer was always stolid and decent but at times painfully careful not to drop the famous Ming vase. The phrases that define those earlier efforts mission-led government, a government of service or even the 2024 manifesto title, Change may have meant something to Starmer and those around him. But they meant little to anyone else. They sank like stones into the contemporary sea of political indifference."

"This time, though, Starmer laid it on the line more forcefully. Here in this speech, he told conference, is what Labour is in power to achieve, a renewal of Britain in which workers and minorities can get the justice and rewards they deserve in a united country. Here are some of the examples a new approach to post-school education and training, a digital step-change in NHS services among them."

Labour presented a firmer vision focused on national renewal that promised justice and rewards for workers and minorities while stressing national unity over division. Concrete policy examples included a new approach to post-school education and training and a digital step-change in NHS services. Previous conference language relied on vague slogans that failed to engage the public and sank into political indifference. The sharper framing marked an improvement in tone and purpose but arrived late; delivering such a message before the 2024 election or immediately on returning to office could have reduced many of the party's ensuing challenges.

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