The scene down at Liverpool’s waterfront this morning was serene.
The blustery conditions of the last few days had receded into brilliant Autumn sunshine; the welcome shift in weather providing a fitting end to a conference that has seemingly gone off without a hitch for Labour. A handful of delegates laughed as they wheeled suitcases out of the Pullman Hotel, while inside the city’s exhibition centre people milled about, chatting and browsing some of the hundreds of stalls on offer.
Even the press room, where the national media has been camped out all week, was relatively calm, without the threat of tripping over someone’s camera and the luxury of finding a spot to plug your laptop in. It was a stark contrast to yesterday, when thousands packed into the main conference hall to hear Sir Keir Starmer make his highly-anticipated keynote speech.
READ MORE: Hundreds of Jacob's staff strike outside factory in row over pay
The Labour leader, who walked onto the stage with a 17-point polling lead against a backdrop of a government in economic freefall, simply needed to provide a solid end to a successful conference for his party. And, judging by the countless standing ovations he received, he did just that.
In his speech, Starmer announced that a Labour government would create a new, publicly owned British energy company, as well as unveiling plans to boost NHS nursing placements and implement a new 70% home ownership target. The Labour leader’s policy announcements were well received by local MPs, with Liverpool Wavertree MP Paula Barker describing plans for Great British Energy as “great news” and Wirral South MP Alison McGovern branding Starmer’s speech as “clear and direct about how Labour will rebuild hope."
Starmer also vowed to put a Hillsborough Law on to the statute books, which will help bereaved families and aim to prevent further injustices where there is state involvement. The need for such legislation was painfully clear on Monday evening, when Hillsborough families shared their harrowing stories with a packed out room at one of the conference’s 400 fringe events.
While the main conference hall is where Labour has outlined the spine of its policy offer this week, the fringe events have given party members the chance to add some meat to the bones. At the Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Labour's shadow rail minister Tan Desi Singh confirmed a Labour government would bring the country's rail network under public control.
But Mr Singh found himself somewhat overshadowed by RMT chief Mick Lynch, who received rapturous applause as he declared: “The Labour Party needs to stand up and say enough is enough, we're not going to have this." Alongside the union boss, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has also proved popular at the conference’s fringe events.
Yesterday, he made a compelling speech about how the North West can help to guide Labour's vision on Levelling Up. Mr Burnham also joined Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram to explain the need for the government to invest in regional transport networks.
Mr Burnham said: "Both Liverpool and Manchester are brilliant places to live and yet we’re not world class in transport. These are two cities that I think are the best places in England. Give us world class transport and there’ll be no holding us back."
There has been a sense that this conference couldn’t have come at a better time for Labour. While almost every hour has brought with it more news from Whitehall of economic crisis, there has been an air of calm and an undercurrent of quiet confidence here in Liverpool. Maria Eagle, MP for Garston and Halewood, told the ECHO Labour is “absolutely” gearing up for government as the country is “desperate” for change.
She said: “We know that now is the time to turn outwards to the country. We have to get a new government, a Labour government to try and stop the country sliding in the way the Tory government has.” Ms Eagle speaks with the experience of someone who has been to 40 Labour Party conferences, but her conviction that this is a party bound for Downing Street has seemed a common one.
This morning, a group of A-Level politics students from Manchester chatted animatedly as they soaked in the atmosphere at their first ever conference. They too believe it’s been a successful few days for the party, with one describing Starmer’s speech as “fantastic” and saying a “general election can’t come quick enough.”
Today, the conference closed in the same way it started, with a speech from deputy leader Angela Ranger. While on Sunday, Ms Rayner attacked the Conservative government’s “trickle down economics” and pledged to give the “Tory sleaze merchants” their marching orders, today she vowed Labour would “rise to the moment” and “deliver for working people”.
People rose to their feet to applaud, some raising their fist in the air as the first chords of the Red Flag - the party’s long-time socialist anthem - rang through the main hall. Yesterday, Keir Starmer declared this is a “Labour moment” and, looking around at the unified scene, it felt like that might just be true.
READ NEXT:
Woman killed boyfriend then said he'd been stabbed by 'some fella in town'
Pub 'appalled' to learn paedophile chef stashed vile child abuse images
Man found dead on train tracks at Merseyside station
Man in his 60s attacked outside Liverpool Sainsbury's store
19 things that ruined your day if you were a Merseyside teen in the Noughties
