Labour Conference 2015: Liveblog

14.25: Watson has just finished his tub-thumping address, finishing by rallying off a list of Labour’s achievements in government.

“In government we made this country a far, far better place: Record numbers of new schools and hospitals. Far better pay for public sector workers. Led the world on climate change and international development. The minimum wage. Tax credits. The pension credit. Civil partnerships. The Disability Discrimination Act. The Human Rights Act. The Gangmasters Act. Paid holidays. Maternity leave. Paternity leave. Union recognition rights. Temporary and agency workers’ rights. And literally a thousand more progressive things we did to change our country for the better.”

He also won applause for attacking the Lib Dems (“that useless bunch of lying sellouts”) and for saying that “there are too many Special Advisers at the top of the Parliamentary Labour Party.”

13.59: Tom Watson’s speech has just begun, and will be followed by the traditional rendition of the Red Flag.

Elsewhere, Steve Rotherham has been confirmed as Jeremy Corbyn’s PPS.Rotherham told the Liverpool Echo, his local paper that the experience would be “fascinating”. Rotherham had been unsure abut accepting the role, telling Corbyn: “I’m the wrong person because I’m no-one’s bag carrier.’ And he said, ‘That’s not how I think the job would be.’”

12.39: Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham has just finished his conference address. In a section on immigration, Burnham declared that free movement across the EU was “widening inequality” and attacked the “new-liberal, free market” model of the EU currently.

“I make no bones about it: I am on mission to win back those lost Labour voters from UKIP. Not by copying them in any way. But by being true to our own values, Jeremy’s vision of a social Europe – and rejecting the new-liberal, free market approach of today.

“For too long, Labour has gone along with the idea that free movement on the current rules benefits everyone and affects all areas equally. Well, you know what: it’s just not true. In places, it has benefited private companies more than people and communities. And the truth is this: free movement, as it currently works, is widening inequality.”

He said that he was setting himself a challenge to “reframe the debate about immigration”, and pledged to fight the Tories’ anti-trade union bill “with all we’ve got”.

10.10: Conference will be voting later today on a Unite backed emergency motion calling on the party to only back air strikes against Islamic State in Syria if it is endorsed by the United Nations Security Council.

Labour’s London mayoral candidate Sidiq Khan is speaking, following his appearance on the Today programme, in which he said he would be the capital’s “champion” and would occasionally “respectfully and fraternally disagree” with Jeremy Corbyn on some issues.

The Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham, Shadow Health Secretary Heidi Alexander and Shadow Education Secretary Lucy Powell are also speaking. After lunch the new Deputy Leader Tom Watson will close conference.

Wednesday, 9.55: Jeremy Corbyn has started the day with a round of media interviews. He restated his opposition to Trident on the Today programme and was asked if he would press the nuclear button as prime minister. “No,” he replied.

He also refused to rule out giving Labour MPs a free vote on air strikes on Islamic State in Syria. He explained that it was not yet clear what the government would ask parliament to vote on. A decision would come when that was known.

He was also asked if he actually wanted the job of Prime Minister in his heart of hearts. Yes, he replied, in his heart of hearts he is very happy.

16.09: Unite’s Len McCluskey has issued his reaction to Corbyn’s speech:

Today Jeremy treated us to a different kind of politics and I believe people will like what they see.  Principle, honesty,  fairness and dignity – our lifelong Labour values – are taking their rightful place in the public realm. 

He was inspirational – in setting out a new vision for our country he gave our tired politics a long-overdue shot in the arm.

Unite members will be especially heartened to hear that Jeremy believes in an active role for government – in protecting jobs, in using investment to build the homes families and young people urgently need and to keep our communities strong. 

Voters are now hearing a clear Labour alternative to the Conservative austerity project, an appalling dogma that is making our country more unequal, spreading insecurity and poverty – and it is being undertaken as a political choice, by a government wholly-owned by the hedge funds. 

Jeremy Corbyn drew a clear line in the sand today when he told the Tories that their mindless austerity is an affront to the British people and its time is well and truly up.

Labour can proclaim with pride that it is the only party of hope and fairness, the party of the people.  Labour values will make Britain great again.

16.05: Here’s Emma Burnell’s take on the speech:

Jeremy spoke of a kinder politics; a politics that engages on ideas. And there were some great ideas in there. The focus on housing was great. Reached straight to my sweet spot.

I’m concerned about the style. I hope that doesn’t make me a Blairite, or worse, a Tory. It wasn’t a tightly scripted speech and at times felt more like a sociology lecture than a speech designed to rally the country to our cause.

Corbyn has a vision of what is wrong with our country and what he wants to change. It was a vision the party today wholly endorsed. Now it up to all of us to take that vision to the country.

15.59: Jeremy Corbyn’s speech clocked in at 59 minutes long. Here’s immediate reaction from Marcus Roberts:

The risk for all commentary on Corbyn is that too much attention is paid to the details. So focus is given to how he handled the autocue or delivered a soundbite. Attention will be paid to the narrative of the speech – or perhaps the lack thereof.

But too much forensic examination of the minutiae of moments risks losing focus on that which really matters to voters. Because for all the talk of Islington and attacks on “the commentariat” important things were left out, like voters worries about Labour and overspending, Labour and welfare, Labour and immigration.

Instead Corbyn stuck to a classic, crowd pleasing old Labour script: more fairness, more state, more spending.

In short, what was in the speech was a list of the things that matter to Jeremy Corbyn and his rank and file but what was lacking was engagement with the electorate on the very issues the voters found Labour wanting on last May.

Sadly for Labour, having chosen not to speak to the nation he cannot be surprised if the voters choose not to listen.

13.00: Labour conference will debate air strikes on Islamic State in Syria tomorrow, according to the BBC.

12.04: Today is the day that nationalising the railways becomes official Labour policy, with an NEC statement this morning and debate in the hall. Shadow Transport Secretary Lilian Greenwood told delegates that it was “in the public interest” to bring the railways back under government control.

Labour will now set up a rail taskforce to work out how to:

• Return private rail franchises to public ownership when they come to an end or through a break clause, when it is in the interest of passengers and taxpayers.

• Create a “dynamic public operator” to run the renationalised franchises and reinvest profits into cutting fares and rail infrastructure.

The party will also oppose any attempt by the government to privatise Network Rail.

Possibly the most interesting part of her speech, though, was her suggestion that Labour will continue to support HS2, and run it as a nationalised service:

“It is time for our railways to be run under public ownership, in the public interest, with affordable fares for all.

I want a new deal for the railways, with a strong voice for passengers, a modern intercity identity, an expanded London Overground and devolution for other local networks, putting commuters first.

And as part of a modern railway, we need to build 21^st century infrastructure to revolutionise the links between the cities of the Midlands and the North, to free up space for new commuter services, and take more lorries off our congested roads.

So let’s invest in high speed rail – and let’s make sure it can be run under public ownership, as a public service: an integrated national asset that the country can be proud of.”

Tuesday, 10.15: In his first Labour conference speech as leader, Jeremy Corbyn is expected to say that he wants to create a “kinder, more inclusive” politics. He will also say he won’t impose “leadership lines” on the party and that he wants a “bottom up, not top down” style of democracy.

It isn’t anticipated that Corbyn will make any major policy announcements, but he is expected to promise to champion the self-employed, suggesting they should have full access to statutory maternity and paternity pay.

Corbyn is also expected to say that he loves his country and stands for the values of the majority of the British people. “It is because I am driven by these British majority values, because I love this country, that I want to rid it of injustice to make it more fair, more decent, more equal.

More after lunch.

19.43: Matt Wrack hinted that the Fire Brigades Union could apply to re-affiliate to the Labour Party at the Labour Representation Committee rally this evening. The FBU General Secretary said that “the world has changed and my union, and other unions, will have to consider how to respond.” To shouts of ‘come back” he added: “we’re proud to have supported Jeremy Corbyn during the [leadership] campaign and after it, and as the fight goes forward.”

The FBU disaffiliated from the Labour Party in 2004 but is affiliated to the left-wing pressure group, the LRC, which was founded by John McDonnell. Its executive also voted to support and help fund Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership campaign. A decision to apply to re-affiliate would have to be taken at its conference next May, but its executive is meeting on Wednesday and will be discussing the political situation, including its relationship with Labour.

16.00: New Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Owen Smith promised to oppose the Welfare Bill “line by cruel line” in his speech to delegates earlier, a significant toughening of the stance the party took over the summer.

He said:

“We have to smash the Tory Welfare Trap with the clarity of our argument and the strength of our values. And we will start straight away with Duncan Smith’s pernicious Welfare Bill.

“It penalises children. It takes money from the poorest workers. It drives families from their homes.

“And we will oppose it, line by cruel line. That’s my promise, conference. Hold me to it.”

15.51: He’s a fighter, not a quitter. The Dark Lord has arrived. Peter Mandelson, who received such rapturous applause at Labour’s Brighton conference in 2009 (remember that?) has returned. However, that is not his greatest moment, which also came during that week: when he claimed not to have used a four-letter word in a telephone conversation with Rebekah Brooks.

While his reception may not be as warm this time around, former LabourList editor Mark Ferguson has spotted that some people are welcoming him with open arms:

https://twitter.com/Markfergusonuk/status/648500657129975808

14.25: Dan Jarvis attracted a large crowd at the Huffington Post fringe this lunchtime. The Barnsley MP was reportedly urged to run for the Labour leadership by MPs and is seen as someone with a big future in the party. The Huff Po clearly agrees, as its political editor Paul Waugh interviewed him one-to-one beneath a huge picture of the former para, inscribed with the words Dan The Man.

Jeremy Corbyn is clearly less of a fan, as he declined to offer Jarvis a job in his reshuffle. Asked about the frontbench, Jarvis said: “I wasn’t expecting to get a call and as it turned out I didn’t get a call.”

Jarvis also called for a free vote for Labour MPs on military action in Syria and said he didn’t think Corbyn should apologise about the Iraq war before the Chilcott report is published. Pressed on whether he thought there should then be an apology, he said that Corbyn should be careful not to sound as if he was criticising the British soldiers who served in Iraq.

Jarvis was also very pro-Queen. ‘The Royal family add a lot of value to our country,” he said. He added that it was important for the armed forces that they serve the monarch and are greeted by a member of the Royal family when they return from a tour of duty.

12.59: McDonnell has just finished speaking. He warned that the pre-2008 crash warning signs are coming again. As leaked prior to his speech he committed to balancing the books and “living within our means” and repeatedly said Labour weren’t deficit deniers.

He began by denouncing austerity and citing the case of Michael O’Sullivan, who killed himself after his benefits were removed as his reasoning for this.  He said that Labour would tackle the deficit fairly and that there would be cuts to the corporate welfare system, the subsidies paid to companies that take the money and fail to provide the jobs, cuts to the use of “taxpayers money subsidising poverty paying bosses” and cuts to the £13 billion tax breaks given to buy to let landlords for repairing their properties, whether they undertake the repairs or not.

He also made a plea in the name of unity and asked those who refused to serve in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet to “come back” and “help us succeed”.

McDonnell outlined that he would review the financial sector. “As a start I have invited Lord Bob Kerslake, former head of the civil service, to bring together a team to review the operation of the Treasury itself. I will also be setting up a review of the Bank of England”, he said.

The end of his speech was met with a standing ovation, shouts and cheers in the hall.

12.10: We’re waiting for John McDonnell to take to the stage to give his first speech to conference as Shadow Chancellor. He’s going to say that he’ll create a more progressive taxation system – according to The Telegraph which has his full speech.

“Where money needs to be raised it will be raised from fairer, more progressive taxation. We will be lifting the burden from middle and low-income earners paying for a crisis they did not cause.

“If we inherit a deficit in 2020, fiscal policy will be used to pay down the debt and lower the deficit but at a speed that does not put into jeopardy sustainable economic growth.

“We’ll use active monetary policy to stimulate demand where necessary” he will say.

11.40: Hilary Benn, Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, has now said what Labour’s position would be on airstrikes in Syria He focussed a large part of his speech on ISIS in Syria and Iraq and outlined his support for current airstrikes in Iraq. He said that Labour didn’t support “British boots on the ground” and stressed that there was a need for political, diplomatic and humanitarian solutions in Syria.

“We are right to be offering air support to the Government of Iraq in trying to defeat ISIL/Daesh, but let me be clear we do not want British boots on the ground in either Iraq or Syria.” 

Now, there’s been a lot of talk about airstrikes in Syria, but to bring peace, stability and security there we need a much broader, more comprehensive plan than just trying to deal with ISIL/Daesh. 

This will require political, diplomatic and humanitarian will too”, he said

11.08: Diane Abbott, Shadow International Development Secretary, has just spoken. She said war and conflict are a primary impediment to development. She spoke against military intervention and said that she will vote against bombing in Syria – though this isn’t in the text released by Labour press office.  It’s thought that there will be a vote on air strikes against ISIS in Syria soon but the exact details on the vote and Labour’s position on this are not yet clear. Corbyn is opposed to bombing but a number of shadow cabinet ministers are likely to be in support of airstrikes.

Abbott said that development should be women centred and Labour need to change the lives of working women in some of the world’s poorest countries.

10.48: Pat McFadden, Shadow Minister for Europe, stressed the need for robust reform in the EU. “We have to argue for a better EU … not just the status quo”, he said. He also highlighted that Labour have a “duty” to show leadership in the pro-EU campaign, in “every community we live in”. McFadden said this has to be a community-based campaign, not one run by “elites”.

10.14: Paul Kenny from GMB General Secretary has just finished speaking, he said Labour shouldn’t campaign alongside the Conservatives to stay in the EU.

10.07: Maria Eagle, Shadow Defence Secretary has just addressed Conference. Her speech centred on the need for debate; she said that she will facilitate a debate on Britain’s place in the world. After praising the armed forces, she addressed the issue of Trident, recognising the divisions within the party.

“And it has been our position for decades too that Britain needs a credible independent nuclear deterrent while taking a lead internationally to push for a world without nuclear weapons. Labour in Government reduced the numbers of nuclear warheads and gave up our free fall nuclear bomb option – as part of multilateral disarmament efforts.

I know that some people have always disagreed that Britain should have an independent nuclear deterrent. But we all agree that more must be done to rid the world of nuclear weapons. I recognise and respect the different views in our party on the future of our nuclear deterrent.

Jeremy knew that I disagreed with him about this when he appointed me. And he still asked me to do the job.

At the last election, we were committed to having a much more transparent and public facing debate about our place in the world and how best we should fulfil it. Jeremy Corbyn has asked me to facilitate such a debate. And I will do that”, she said.

She was also met with applause from Conference for saying “There is an appetite out there, in our Party and beyond, for real issues of substance to be discussed openly in politics, rather than be decided just by Ministers in Government, behind closed doors or politicians in Parliament, subject to a Party whip.”

Monday, 09.58: And we’re back! Live from the conference floor, we’ll be reporting on what’s happening in Brighton today. Glenis Wilmott,Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party, and Alan Johnson, who is heading up Labour’s campaign to stay in the EU. As expected they both stressed the importance of campaigning to stay in the EU. Johnson said: “There is nothing patriotic about condemning our country to isolation”.

17.10: The 8 resolutions that will be debated at conference will be austerity and public services, employment rights, EU, refugee crisis, mental health, license fee, housing and NHS.

Here is the break down of how CLPs and trade union and affiliate organisations voted.

CLPs – Austerity 11.38%, Defence capability 7.10%, Employment rights 8.2%, Europe 5.25%, Housing 18.10%, License fee 0.76%, Mental health 7.83%, NHS 15.93%, Rail 2.26%, Refugee crisis 15.87%, Social security 5.61%, Syria 1.69%.

Trade unions – Austerity 24.9%, Defence capabilities 0.16%, Employment rights 24.75%, Europe 24.68%, Housing 0.10%, License fee 9.77%, Mental health 0.14%, NHS 0.14%, Rail 15%, Refugee crisis 0.35%, Social security 0.01%, Syria 0%

16.34: Conference will not vote on Trident nuclear deterrent, Christopher Hope reports.

This is a divisive issue but it was expected that Trident would be one of the issues that would make it to a vote after it made it onto the priorities ballot. But there was resistance from some unions. Earlier today, Paul Kenny from the GMB said that the union would not support calls to scrap Trident. “People need to get real,” he said.

16.22: Both Nia Griffith, Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, and Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of Wales and Leader of the Welsh Labour Party highlighted in their speeches their pro-European credentials. This comes following Labour making clear last week that they would campaign to stay in the EU, there was initially some confusion over whether Corbyn would commit to this.

Jones congratulated Jeremy Corbyn and Tom Watson and defended Labour’s new leader, saying ” There’s been a lot of guff, quite frankly, written about Labour’s commitment to winning future elections following Jeremy’s win. Let me tell you, as someone who has won a leadership election and an Assembly election – anyone who wins nearly 60 per cent of the vote can’t be anything but serious about winning elections.”.

He also denounced the “frantic nationalism” of UKIP and “fantastical nationalism” of Plaid Cymru and covered Welsh Labour’s successes, including a living wage for all NHS staff, cancer waiting times better than England and ensuring that Welsh students don’t pay £9000 tuition fees.

15.55: Kezia Dugdale, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, has just address Conference. She began by praising Labour’s new leader, Jeremy as a “man of principles and conviction”. She said that Scottish Labour has “actually changed the way we do business” by giving members power over next month’s Scottish Labour conference. Dugdale was elected leader in August, following Jim Murphy’s resignation. Ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections, she promised to not just talk about change, but actually change the party. “The days of listening and not acting are over. I will change my party so that once again, together, we can change our country” she said.

15.50: Ian Murray, Shadow Scotland Secretary and Scottish Labour’s only MP, has just finished. He introduced himself with the day’s best gag so far, calling himself a “first time speaker, last man standing, Independent Socialist Republic of Edinburgh South CLP”. He also rules out another independence referendum, saying “I won’t let that happen, and I have this pledge for the people of Scotland today: I won’t put politics before Scotland’s best interests.”

15.07: When are the exciting bits at conference today? Most focus is on the contemporary motions vote, which will decide what certain topics to be debated and voted this week – including intervention in Syria and Trident renewal. The announcement of the vote’s results is scheduled at 16.55, just under a couple of hours from now.

We understand that a rule change in the Conference Arrangements Committee means that eight topics will have be chosen – in the past it could be as few as four. This increases the chances of Syria and Trident making the cut.

14.41: Harriet Harman received a raucous standing ovation as she took to the stage, having been introduced by Angela Eagle. Jeremy Corbyn handed Harman a bouquet of flowers as thanks for her service as acting leader, as a pink bus branded with the word “Harriet” flashed across the big screen above the stage. Cheeky.

Sunday, 14.08: Welcome to sunny Brighton, for what is expected to be one of the most fascinating Labour conferences in years – possibly even decades. We’ll be bringing you all of the news from conference this week, from conference floor to fringe events (including our own fringes) and everything in between. Got something to tell us about conference? At a fringe meeting you think we should be covering? Got gossip, rumours or news for us? Email us at [email protected] and you can be a part of it.

General secretary Iain McNicol kicked off proceedings this morning with a speech in the hall, where he welcomed the tens of thousands of new members, announcing that 52,000 have joined in the last fortnight, and 166,000 since the election.

During an attack on the Conservatives’ anti-trade union bill, he also revealed that Labour are on course to be debt-free by next year. It may have been hidden away in his speech, but that is quite a remarkable turnaround – reports from last year suggested that the party finished the 2013 £5.7million in the red.

Labour Party treasurer Diana Holland told conference in 2012 that the party was planning to wipe its debts by 2016, but the news will still come as a surprise, so her report to conference on Monday afternoon could be worth watching.

Ironically, losing May’s election could have helped Labour with the debt target, by allowing them to hold on to publicly funded Short Money. The vote by the Co-operative Group just days after the election to carry on with political subscriptions will also have played a big role in keeping the party’s finances stable.

On the Trade Union Bill, McNicol said:

“Does anyone really believe this Tory bill is designed to improve industrial relations? This Bill is designed to crush the British trade union movement, and to cut funds to the Labour Party.

I am proud that as your General Secretary, we have paid down the Labour Party’s debts, paid back our creditors and by next year we will be debt-free.

But I have to tell you honestly, if the Trade Union Bill goes through, the consequences for our party’s finances will be huge. You can’t fight elections without cash to pay for them. And of course the ruthless Conservatives know this full well.

They are a political party, using the power of the state, to restrict opposition and stifle debate.

We’ve seen it in tin-pot dictatorships, but it has no place in a democracy. We will resist the Trade Union Bill because it is pernicious, unfair, unjust and un-British.”