Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer took center stage at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on September 30, 2025, delivering a fiery 54-minute speech that sought to redefine patriotism, confront the rising influence of Reform UK, and shore up his own leadership amid party turbulence. The speech, widely covered by major British newspapers and international outlets, marked a pivotal moment for Starmer as he attempted to unite his party and appeal to a working-class electorate ahead of crucial elections in 2026.
Starmer's address came at a time when Labour was trailing Reform UK in the polls, with internal rumblings about his leadership and looming challenges on the economic front. According to The Japan Times, just a week earlier, Starmer had been battling for his political future, facing mounting pressure from within his own party. Yet, with the retreat of his main Labour rival and a decision to take the gloves off against populist adversary Nigel Farage, Starmer managed to rally his party and leave internal critics "humbled."
The prime minister opened his speech with a direct challenge to Farage and the rhetoric of Reform UK, vowing that Labour would "never surrender Britain to Reform UK" and denouncing what he called Farage's "fake patriotism." As reported by BBC News and The Mirror, Starmer accused Farage of not believing in Britain, urging voters to "turn their back on Reform UK's rhetoric of division and decline." He didn't mince words, calling Farage a "snake oil merchant" who "doesn't even like Britain," a line that reverberated through media coverage and drew sharp responses from political opponents.
Patriotism and the symbolism of the national flag became central themes of Starmer's message. The Daily Telegraph highlighted his pledge to "never surrender" the flag, framing it as an appeal to working-class voters and a rejection of the far right's attempts to co-opt national symbols. Starmer declared, "When was the last time you heard Nigel Farage say anything positive about Britain’s future? He can’t. He doesn’t like Britain, doesn’t believe in Britain, wants you to doubt it as much as he does. And so he resorts to grievance. They all do it. They want to turn this country, this proud, self-reliant country, into a competition of victims."
He went further, urging Britons to fly their nation's flags with pride but warning against their use as tools of exclusion or hate. "If those same flags are painted alongside graffiti telling a Chinese takeaway owner to ‘go home’, that’s not pride – that’s racism," he cautioned, drawing a clear line between patriotism and xenophobia.
Starmer’s speech also marked a notable policy shift, with a move to drop Tony Blair’s longstanding target of 50% university attendance for school leavers. Instead, he signaled a willingness to make "tough choices" on immigration and the economy, acknowledging the depth of the challenges facing the country. As reported by The Guardian and i Paper, Labour is preparing to lift the controversial two-child benefit cap in the November budget—a policy change expected to cost £3 billion and one that has been described as a response to years of criticism from welfare advocates and party members alike. While no official announcement was made during the conference, the intention was widely reported and seen as a significant step in Labour’s social policy agenda.
Healthcare reform featured prominently, with Starmer outlining plans for an "online hospital" in England. This initiative aims to provide patients with specialist consultations from their homes, a move designed to cut waiting lists and modernize the National Health Service. The proposal reflects Labour’s broader commitment to improving public services, a message that resonated with delegates and was met with loud cheers as Starmer listed achievements from his 15 months in government, including improvements in workers' rights, renters' reform, extra NHS funding, and new trade deals.
Yet, Starmer did not shy away from acknowledging the nation's economic woes. Just hours before his speech, official figures revealed that UK economic growth had slowed to 0.3% between April and June 2025, down from 0.7% in the previous quarter. "Growth is the pound in your pocket, it is more money for trips, meals out, the little things that bring joy to our lives, the peace of mind that comes from economic security. But it is also the antidote to division – that’s the most important aspect of national renewal," he told the conference, framing economic recovery as not just a financial imperative but a unifying national mission.
Starmer’s stance on international affairs also made headlines, with his backing of Donald Trump’s plan for peace in Gaza drawing attention from across the political spectrum. This unexpected alignment with the former U.S. president’s initiative was seen as an effort to demonstrate pragmatic leadership on the world stage.
Media reactions to the speech were polarized, reflecting the deep divisions in British politics. The Daily Mail described Starmer’s attacks on Farage as having "triggered a bitter war of words," with Farage responding that the prime minister was "unfit to be the prime minister of our country." The Times reported that Starmer sought to unite Labour against a "common enemy" in Reform UK, while The Financial Times noted his repeated references to the national flag and his targeting of the party’s working-class base with promises to cut immigration and support industry. The Metro and Daily Star highlighted Starmer’s attacks on "snake oil merchants" on both the right and left, suggesting he was also taking aim at internal critics such as Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Not all responses were glowing. Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell criticized the speech as "full-blown rhetorical flourish but extremely policy light, exemplified by denunciation of child poverty but sadly no announcement on scrapping the two-child limit." Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, in interviews with the Daily Express, accused Starmer of failing to "own up to the mistakes he’s made on the economy" and warned that Labour would leave an "almighty mess," while Reform would "blow up the economy."
Despite the criticism, many Labour MPs and party members were buoyed by Starmer’s performance. Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh told The Independent, "When you are prime minister, you always have critics, that goes with the job, but he has addressed the issue of what he’s for and what his government is for. Now he’s just got to get on and do it, hasn’t he?" Luke Akehurst, another Labour MP, praised the "inclusive patriotism versus Farage" tone, and Bill Frost, a party member from Birkenhead, called it "the best conference piece I’ve ever seen in my life. It was inspired."
As the dust settles from the Liverpool conference, Starmer appears to have quieted speculation about his leadership—at least for now. With a challenging budget looming in November and local elections on the horizon, the prime minister’s ability to deliver on his promises and maintain party unity will be under close scrutiny. For a leader who just weeks ago was "battling for his future," the conference offered a much-needed reprieve and a rallying cry for a "tolerant, decent, respectful Britain."
