Huge ovation for Angela Rayner as she kicks off Labour conference in Liverpool

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner opened the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool today with the message - 'let's get on with the job.'

Ms Rayner, the party's deputy leader, took to the stage at Liverpool's Arena and Convention Centre today to welcome thousands of party delegates from across the country to the first Labour Conference to be held with the party in government in 15 years.

Labour heads into the conference in a tricky spot, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer under pressure over a row about his donations and free gifts and internal rows between his staff dominating headlines. The government has also come under fire for its hugely controversial decision to cut winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.

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The party will be hoping to change the narrative over the coming days, with the slogan 'Change Begins Now' emblazoned all around Liverpool's exhibition centre. Delivering a punchy opening address this morning, Ms Rayner promised the party would "complete that irreversible shift in opportunity, power and wealth across our whole country."

The Deputy Prime Minister was greeted with a rapturous standing ovation as she set out her plans to carry out a devolution revolution and end the 'Whitehall knows best' approach to decision-making. She confirmed a host of new devolution deals across the North of England, stating that 'Northerners will no longer be dictated to by Whitehall.'

There was a promise to work closely with mayors like Steve Rotheram in the Liverpool City Region, as she said: "Labour mayors have shown what is possible when Labour is in power.

"And that’s why I am giving mayors more powers over house building and planning, as well as transport and skills."

The Ashton MP is also the Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government and a large portion of her speech was dedicated to her plans to boost the creation of social and council housing across the country.

She said: "Today I want to give you my promise that this Labour Government will take action to ensure all homes are decent and safe, and residents are treated with the respect they deserve.

"We will consult and implement a new Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes, to end the scandal of homes being unfit to live in."

Ms Rayner has a compelling back story and spoke passionately about how previous Labour governments helped her as a single mum to have a safe home to live in and build her life.

She added: "When I was growing up we didn’t have a lot. But we had a safe and secure home. Today, not everyone does. I know first-hand the difference a decent home can make."

She added: "It was the foundation of a decent home, secure work and a strong community that nurtured me. The youth club on a Friday afternoon gave me somewhere to go, with a youth worker I could trust."

There were also a few jokes included, including a playful dig at her boss, who has been mocked for repeating the fact that his dad was a toolmaker in multiple speeches. Ms Rayner said: "If you haven't heard me say that I was a trade unionist then you probably haven't heard that Keir's dad was a toolmaker." The Prime Minister laughed along with hundreds in the packed conference hall.

Known for taking the fight to the Conservatives when Labour were in opposition, Ms Rayner railed against the Tory record in government. She said: "Don’t forget what they did: partygate, Covid contracts, the lies, division, scapegoating, and the unfunded tax cuts for the richest that crashed our economy. Don’t forget any of it. The Tories failed Britain and they tried to cover it up."

Bringing the speech to a close with a rallying cry, she said: "Now is our moment, not just to say but to do.

"Labour Governments of the past took on this same challenge, at a time when Britain desperately needed change. They delivered a better Britain when the odds were stacked against them.

And that is exactly what this Labour government must deliver once again. So Conference, let’s get on with it. Thank you."