Labour kicks off first conference in power in 15 years

British PM vows to protect public services, rules out austerity amid pressure over cuts

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to protect public services and ruled out austerity measures as Labour's annual conference kicked off on Sept 22, its first in 15 years as a government party.

The four-day gathering in Liverpool, north-west England, comes three months after Labour secured a general election victory over the Conservatives.

Under pressure on several fronts, the party will have to strike a balance between celebrating Labour's long-awaited victory, defending its record and not letting up on reminders of "difficult decisions" to come.

After months of gloom about Britain's economy, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner struck a more optimistic note in a speech on Sept 22, standing in front of a red background emblazoned with the slogan "Change begins".

Peppered with light-hearted quips and applause, the speech recounted the government's first three months in power, with Ms Rayner - also in charge of housing and communities - promising to "fix the foundations and put Britain back on the path to growth".

Ahead of the conference, Mr Starmer told the Observer newspaper that his government had in 11 weeks done "far more than the last government did probably in the last 11 years".