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LABOUR ministers, MPs, councillors and activists will descend on Liverpool this weekend for the party’s 2025 conference.
The mood will be very different to last year, where optimism reigned after the landslide victory in the General Election.
Instead, the party – and Keir Starmer’s government – are in disarray.
The scandalous resignation of deputy prime minister Angela Rayner earlier this month amid a row over tax was the latest of several, including the anti-corruption minister resigning over links to corruption and the homelessness minister resigning for evicting tenants.
The Prime Minister was under particular fire in recent weeks over Peter Mandelson’s appointment as Britain’s former ambassador to the US despite his known association with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Several other senior allies and aides have resigned in scandal. Meanwhile, his right-hand man Morgan McSweeney is being accused of ignoring official warnings to declare thousands of pounds of donations.
Oh, also his own MPs are encouraging Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to oust him.
Even Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar isn’t fully leaping to his defence – as was his wont.
So, yes. It’s not going altogether too well – a fact which extends to the party’s official conference guide.
Perusing it yesterday, The National noticed that pages six and seven are missing.
Why? It used to be a cheery double-page welcome to conference attendees from Rayner.
“It’s an honour to welcome you as your Deputy Leader and Deputy Prime Minister," it read pre-deletion (above). Yikes.
Another wee blunder is the repeated listing of Ian Murray as the Scottish Secretary at various events.
A bit awkward given he was sacked a few weeks back .
Naturally, things move fast in politics – a resignation here, a sacking there can be expected. But not this fast.
“It’s hardly surprising that Labour’s conference handbook is all over the place – it’s been hard to keep up with the constant chaos,” an SNP source told me.
“The gaping gaps in the schedule and nobody knowing what job people are supposed to be doing pretty much sum the sorry shambles up.”
In any case, The National will be there to ask all the awkward questions. I will be there for all 4 days – from Sunday to Wednesday (September 28 to October 1).
All in all, it’s shaping up to be a major event – and The National will bring you every detail, drama and development.
If there’s anything you would like to see or are keen to learn – feel free to pop me an email: james.walker@newsquest.co.uk .
