Labour leader promises a decade of renewal after glitter attack
Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour party, gave a confident and ambitious speech at the Liverpool convention centre on Tuesday, promising a decade of renewal for Britain. He was briefly interrupted by a protester who threw glitter on him, but he quickly recovered and continued with his address.
Starmer said he was ready to lead the country out of the “chaos and incompetence” of the Conservative government, which he accused of being “out of touch, out of ideas and out of time”. He outlined his vision for a fairer, greener and more prosperous society, where everyone has a stake and a say.
He pledged to invest in public services, create millions of good jobs, tackle the climate crisis, reform the economy and restore trust in democracy. He also vowed to defend the union of the United Kingdom and to be a “proud internationalist” who would work with allies to promote peace and security.
Starmer received several standing ovations from the enthusiastic crowd, who cheered his slogan: “What this country needs is a change of direction”. He ended his speech by saying: “We can do this. We can be the change that Britain needs. We can make this decade one of renewal. We can make Britain the best place to grow up in and the best place to grow old in. We can do this together. We are Labour.”
Glitter protester demands proportional representation
The only sour note in Starmer’s speech came from a man who ran on stage and threw glitter on him, shouting: “Proportional representation now”. The man was quickly removed by security guards, while Starmer tried to brush off the glitter from his jacket.
The protester was later identified as Peter Emerson, a member of Make Votes Matter, a campaign group that advocates for changing the electoral system from first-past-the-post to proportional representation. Emerson said he wanted to draw attention to the issue, which he claimed was ignored by Starmer and Labour.
He said: “I’m sorry for disrupting Keir’s speech, but I felt I had no choice. Proportional representation is essential for democracy, for fairness and for representation. It’s supported by 80% of Labour members and voters, but Keir has refused to commit to it. He has betrayed the democratic principles of his party and his country.”
Make Votes Matter said they did not endorse Emerson’s action, but they shared his frustration. They said: “We are disappointed that Keir Starmer has not yet embraced proportional representation, despite overwhelming support from Labour members and voters. We urge him to listen to his grassroots and to join the cross-party movement for electoral reform.”
Starmer wins praise from allies and rivals
Starmer’s speech was widely praised by his allies and supporters, who hailed it as a turning point for Labour and a challenge to the Conservatives. They said he showed leadership, vision and passion, and that he offered a credible alternative to Boris Johnson.
Angela Rayner, the deputy leader of Labour, said: “Keir delivered a fantastic speech that set out our positive vision for Britain’s future. He showed that he is ready to be prime minister and that Labour is ready to govern. He spoke from the heart about his values and his plans to make Britain a better place for everyone.”
Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Keir gave a powerful speech that spoke to the whole country. He showed that he understands the challenges we face and that he has the solutions we need. He made a strong case for devolution and for giving more power to local communities. He made me proud to be Labour.”
Even some of Starmer’s rivals and critics acknowledged that he delivered a good speech and that he improved his chances of winning the next election. They said he addressed some of the weaknesses and gaps in his leadership and that he connected with the audience.
Lisa Nandy, the shadow foreign secretary who ran against Starmer in the leadership contest last year, said: “Keir gave an impressive speech that showed his strength and determination. He made clear that Labour is united and focused on winning back trust and support from the people. He also showed that Labour is an internationalist party that stands up for human rights and democracy around the world.”
Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of Labour who was suspended from the party last year over allegations of antisemitism, said: “Keir gave a decent speech that touched on some important issues. He rightly criticised the Tory government for its failures and corruption. He also mentioned some of the policies that we developed under my leadership, such as green jobs, public ownership and social justice. I hope he will stick to them.”
