Labour tells conference change 'takes time' and paves way for tax rises

At the Labour Conference in Liverpool, the party’s leaders have turned from just attacking Reform to how to win back British voters and convince them change is happening, but takes time.

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It all comes with pain too - the Chancellor Rachel Reeves warned of the harsh global headwinds of Trump tariffs and conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine - paving the way for tax rises in the autumn.

To silence in the hall the new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced new obstacles for immigrants - warning that without taking control of who's coming into the country and who must leave working class communities would turn away from Labour and seek solace in the "false promises" of Nigel Farage.

Tough choices on the economy and tougher rules on immigration - a succession of ministers here at Labour conference have warned that such is the world we are living in, a world of wars, tariffs and "harsh global headwinds".

While on the fringes the greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham batted off speculation about a leadership challenge, insisting that the only thing he had launched was a debate about how to defeat Reform and the "populist right".

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