Consul Bragagni sent a congratulatory letter to Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, on the successful conclusion of this year’s conference. The conference was held in Liverpool from Sunday, 28 September to Wednesday, 1 October 2025, and it highlighted Labour’s focus on leadership, responsibility, and renewal.
With a very packed agenda, the spotlight fell on a leadership seeking to redefine the party’s identity. Senior Labour figures, such as Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, and Shabana Mahmood, delivered speeches that aimed to communicate competence, vision, and a renewed sense of purpose, all while addressing the challenges of a divided political landscape, economic uncertainty, and public concern over security and services.
Sir Keir Starmer’s keynote address set the tone for the conference, framing the political moment as a decisive choice between “decency and renewal” or “division and decline.” He positioned Labour as a party of unity and moral responsibility, directly challenging populist narratives advanced by Reform UK and its leaders. Starmer invoked national tragedies, from Hillsborough to Grenfell, to underline the party’s commitment to justice and accountability. The speech emphasised a government that delivers fairness while restoring trust in public institutions.
Starmer also made a strategic appeal to patriotism, urging Labour not to cede symbols of national pride to the populist right. He called for reclaiming the flag as a symbol of inclusive national identity, insisting that patriotism and progressive values can coexist.
In his address, Keir Starmer also placed Labour’s vision firmly within an international frame, stressing that Britain cannot stand apart from the global challenges of the 2020s. He spoke of a world marked by conflict, rising authoritarianism, economic turbulence, and climate insecurity, arguing that the UK’s prosperity and security depend on strong alliances and principled global leadership. Starmer pledged that a Labour government would restore Britain’s credibility on the world stage by working closely with partners in Europe, NATO, and the wider international community, while promoting values of democracy, human rights, and fair trade. His message was that only through cooperation abroad can Britain deliver resilience and renewal at home.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves took a firm stance on economic governance, presenting herself as the guarantor of fiscal credibility. She warned against loosening fiscal rules and highlighted the risks of economic instability, referencing past market turmoil as a cautionary example. At the same time, Reeves committed to ambitious investment in public services, including NHS expansion, school funding, and guaranteed employment programs for young people. Her address communicated a disciplined approach: pursuing economic renewal and social progress while maintaining credibility and market confidence.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s speech emphasised the importance of security and law enforcement alongside compassionate governance. She pledged to disrupt criminal smuggling networks, tighten residency requirements, and expand neighbourhood policing to tackle anti-social behaviour. Drawing on her own family’s immigration story, Mahmood framed these measures as part of an inclusive, principled approach to governance: “tough but Labour.” Her address highlighted Labour’s challenge to balance firmness on security with progressive values, ensuring the party appeals to both public safety concerns and its traditional base.
The Labour Party’s 2025 Conference painted a picture of a party attempting to navigate between aspiration and realism. Starmer’s call for unity and moral purpose, Reeves’ emphasis on fiscal discipline paired with investment, and Mahmood’s “tough but compassionate” security agenda collectively signal a party aiming to redefine competence, values, and trust. The true test, however, lies ahead: Labour must now translate these speeches into tangible policy achievements, demonstrate effective governance, and maintain internal cohesion, all under the scrutiny of a politically competitive landscape.
Quotes from this year’s Conference
- Keir Starmer: “Labour must reclaim the flag, not for division, but for unity and decency.”
- Rachel Reeves: “Ambition must be disciplined; investment without stability is no investment at all.”
- Shabana Mahmood: “We can be tough on crime and borders, and still be Labour.”
