Labour conference 2025: Australian Prime Minister shares secret to Labour re-election

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared the secret of how his Labor Party managed to defy the odds and secure re-election this year.

Speaking before a packed conference floor in Liverpool, Albanese reflected on his landslide election victory this May.

Despite spending a substantial period of time behind the centre-right Coalition in the polls, the Australian Labor Party pulled off a remarkable comeback, winning 94 of their parliament’s 150 seats.

As British Labour flounders in voting intention surveys, Albanese said the key to his win was that “in difficult times, we offered people real hope”.

Read the latest news, analysis and commentary on the 2025 Labour party conference in Liverpool here on LabourList.

Reform UK has maintained a stubborn poll lead over Labour for months now, with recent data suggesting they could be poised to form the next government if a snap election got called.

One YouGov MRP found that Reform would be on course for 311 seats if an election were held tomorrow – likely leading to Nigel Farage becoming Prime Minister.

But Albanese provided a ray of hope, telling Labour conference: “We offered a second term agenda that built on the patient and disciplined work of our first term.

“That is the work we are focused on delivering now.”

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The Australian Prime Minister also paid tribute to the strong link between Australia and Britain’s Labour parties – a tie that stretches back decades.

He compared the history of their two parties over the years, from the governments of Harold Wilson and Gough Whitlam in the 1970s and onward towards the modernising drive of the 1990s.

“In the pages of the history books, and with the benefit of hindsight, all that seemed like a natural progression,” Albanese said.

But he added that every generation has “had to overcome sceptics and cynics”.

READ MORE: New Labour Party chair Anna Turley’s address to conference in full

Albanese also shared warm words for his working relationship with Keir Starmer.

He listed their roles in the Coalition of the Willing, work to tackle climate change, the AUKUS submarine pact and their recent recognition of Palestine as proud joint achievements.

Both Starmer and Albanese had led their parties in opposition before entering power.

“In opposition I was always grateful for the chance to share ideas and compare notes,” the Australian Prime Minister said.

He added: “In Australia and the UK, labour as a movement chose democracy.

“We chose parliament and process over protest. We chose to be both a movement for change and a party of government.

“We set ourselves a task of winning people’s trust, and proving worthy of it.”

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What you need to know: 

• SPEECHES: Where is conference and when are Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner speaking?
• VOTES: Revealed: The party rule changes Labour conference could vote on

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