Sunday at the Labour conference: the highs and lows

Labour leader and his deputy, Angela Rayner, with their union flag backdrop at the Labour party conference. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/Reuters

Quote of the day

“Queen Elizabeth II was this great country’s greatest monarch. She created a special, personal relationship with all of us. Even now, after the mourning period has passed, it still feels impossible to imagine a Britain without her.” Keir Starmer opens the conference with a tribute to the late monarch against a union flag backdrop.

Tweet of day

I am staying near the Beatles Experience and I already never want to hear another one of their songs ever again.

It is day 1 of #LabourConference2022

— Louise Haigh (@LouHaigh) September 25, 2022

Debate of the day

In true Labour style, the conference kicked off with a debate about what should be debated over the coming days. Affiliate groups get to nominate six subjects, with the once powerful Momentum throwing its weight behind one calling for Labour MPs to be able to join picket lines.

But in the end only two of the Momentum-endorsed topics were successful – health and social care – in part because they were also backed by the pro-Starmer Labour to Win group. It means the Labour leader will escape a potentially embarrassing debate about his stance on colleagues standing with strikers.

The day in a picture

Targeting the youth vote at the Labour party conference in Liverpool. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

Row of the day

In keeping with this year’s largely polite conference – at least so far – Sunday’s row was little more than a slight disagreement over the specifics of policy.

First up, the morning media round. Andy Burnham said if Labour got into power it should reintroduce the 45p top rate of tax and reverse the 1p cut in the basic rate of tax. Half an hour later, Starmer took a different stance to the Greater Manchester mayor, saying he would keep the second tax cut. It is a difference of opinion, but no one particularly seemed in the mood for rowing over it.

Monday’s highlights

A policy-rich day in the main conference hall will bring a series of speeches from assorted frontbenchers. But the midday slot is likely to be the most crucial, where Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, will seek to flesh out Labour’s plans for what it hopes will be fairer, greener economic growth.