The opening day of the Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool on September 28, 2025, was anything but routine. With the Mersey’s calm waters as a backdrop, the party found itself navigating a storm of internal dissent, public protests, and fierce attacks from political rivals—most notably Reform UK and its leader, Nigel Farage. The conference, intended as an arena for unity and renewal, instead exposed deep fissures within Labour and highlighted the mounting challenges facing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Starmer’s recent interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg set the tone for the day. He openly condemned Reform UK’s proposal to scrap Indefinite Leave to Remain, calling it “a racist policy” and “immoral.” According to BBC reporting, Starmer argued, “It needs to be called out for what it is.” He insisted that such policies would “tear our country apart,” referencing Reform’s suggestion that long-resident migrants, including those working in hospitals and schools, could be deported. “We are, at the moment, a leading member of the Coalition of the Willing, corralling and bringing together European countries to fight the aggression of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. Imagine if Reform came in and they were cosying up to Putin—the impact that would have on our security and defence,” Starmer declared on the BBC.
But Starmer’s attempt to draw a sharp dividing line between Labour and Reform UK has only intensified anxieties within his own party. As the Daily Express noted, Labour MPs and activists are increasingly jittery, fearing that the party’s popularity is plummeting. Opinion polls cited by both BBC and the Daily Express suggest Labour could face electoral "Armageddon," with Starmer’s personal ratings described by one backbencher as so poor that “He makes Corbyn look loved.”
Adding to the pressure, Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, seized the spotlight at a packed fringe event, calling for an end to what he termed a “climate of fear” within Labour. Burnham insisted, “One thing I am worried about, and I think we do need to debate at this conference in my view, is how can you have an open debate about all of those things if there's too much of a climate of fear within our party and the way the party is being run.” He criticized the party’s approach to discipline, referencing suspensions for minor infractions and the loss of the whip for MPs defending disability benefits. “If that is the way we're doing things, where debate is being closed down, that to me is what we've got to change,” Burnham said, to repeated applause. He warned that “simplistic statements of loyalty” risked underestimating the peril Labour faces as elections approach.
Meanwhile, outside the conference hall, Liverpool’s seafront was brought to a standstill as hundreds of farmers staged a noisy protest against the government’s inheritance tax changes. Tractors lined the streets and banners waved as demonstrators demanded Chancellor Rachel Reeves reverse her “tax raid” announced in last autumn’s budget. From April 2026, agricultural and business assets up to £1 million will remain tax-exempt, but anything above that will be taxed at 20%. Farmers, many of whom are asset-rich but cash-poor, fear they could be forced to sell land, threatening the viability of food production. The Daily Express reported that the Save Britain's Family Farms campaign is spearheading calls for a U-turn.
Inside, Labour’s own internal debates were matched by drama on the streets. Police confirmed arrests of protesters supporting the banned group Palestine Action, who gathered near the conference venue. According to Merseyside Police, “Officers are in the process of making arrests on suspicion of wearing/carrying an article supporting a proscribed organisation.” The protests underscored the broader tensions and divisions Labour faces—not just within its ranks, but among the wider public and activist community.
Adding to Labour’s woes, polling conducted for LabourList by Survation revealed that 53% of party members want a new leader before the next general election, with only 31% backing Starmer’s continued leadership. The sense of disarray was further amplified by a digital billboard van touring Liverpool, highlighting Labour’s recent scandals, from undeclared donations to unpaid taxes by senior figures.
In a further blow, the Green Party announced it had surpassed 80,000 members for the first time, attracting defectors from Labour. Green Party leader Zack Polanski declared, “This is a huge milestone for the Green Party of England and Wales. The tired, old two-party system is over. More and more people are looking to a politics rooted in tackling the climate crisis and inequality.”
Labour’s left flank was also restless. Former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell called for former Tory chancellor George Osborne to be tried for “social crimes” related to welfare cuts, warning Chancellor Reeves about the direction of the next budget. Meanwhile, Unite union boss Sharon Graham told Sky News that Labour’s affiliation with the union was “becoming harder and harder to justify,” citing frustration among members who feel the party has drifted from its roots. “They really need to wake up, smell the coffee, and be Labour. Don’t be embarrassed to be Labour. They are a Labour Government—do Labour things,” Graham urged.
Despite the turbulence, Starmer attempted to project calm and determination. Speaking to the BBC, he pleaded for “space” to deliver on his election promises. “I will be judged at the next election on three things, I think, more than anything else. One, have we improved living standards? Do people genuinely feel better off? Two, have we improved public services? Is the NHS in a better place and people can feel it? And three, do people feel safe and secure in their home, in their neighbourhood, and that their country is secure?” Starmer insisted he needed the full five-year mandate to make good on these pledges, adding, “But I just need the space to get on and do what we need to do.”
Policy debates also took center stage. Starmer defended his government’s push for mandatory digital ID cards to combat illegal working, stating, “You must have ID, mandatory digital ID, in order to work, because we have to stop illegal working.” He argued that digital IDs would “reinforce existing rules and prevent people working illegally,” as reported by the BBC. On the contentious issue of VAT, Starmer repeatedly refused to rule out a hike, stating only that “the manifesto stands,” prompting Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch to warn of a potential “Labour tax bombshell.”
Housing Secretary Steve Reed, meanwhile, was the unexpected star of the conference floor, drawing long queues for “build, baby, build” merchandise and reaffirming Labour’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes. Reed also announced the start of construction on three new towns before the next election and paid tribute to Angela Rayner, his predecessor, calling her “a true working-class hero.” However, Reed faced tough questions in the media, conceding that Labour had not yet built enough homes and admitting regrets about the circumstances under which he took the job.
Labour’s external challenges were no less daunting. Reform UK, under Farage’s leadership, hit back at Starmer’s accusations of racism. Zia Yusuf, Reform’s head of policy, responded, “Labour's message to the country is clear: pay hundreds of billions for foreign nationals to live off the state forever or Labour will call you racist. Reform's plan will ensure only British people can access welfare and that migrants contribute to society.” Farage himself claimed Starmer’s attacks were a sign of Labour’s weakness, writing on X, “Keir Starmer has spent his entire weekend attacking Reform. This is the reason why.”
As the conference unfolded, Starmer continued to insist that Labour could “pull this round.” But with open challenges from figures like Burnham, public protests on the party’s doorstep, and rivals circling, the sense of unease was palpable. Even with a surprise appearance from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese—whom Starmer called his “mate”—the Labour leader’s position looked far from secure.
For now, Labour’s annual gathering in Liverpool stands as a vivid snapshot of a party at a crossroads—torn between calls for unity and demands for change, and facing a political landscape more uncertain than ever.