The key moments of Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour conference speech
Sir Keir Starmer has delivered his first Labour conference speech as prime minister, where he declared: “Change has begun”.
The prime minister gave his speech against the backdrop of a gloomy economic picture and deteriorating public services.
While Sir Keir’s speech was heavy on rhetoric and light on policy – due to the constraints the government believes it has over spending – there were a few key moments that stood out. Sky News takes you through them.
Hillsborough law to be introduced before April
Leading Sir Keir’s speech is a promise he made previously about bringing in a Hillsborough law – something he called a “law for Liverpool” in recognition of the 97 people who died at the fatal crush in Sheffield in April 1989.
The law would create a legal “duty of candour” on public authorities and officials to tell the truth and proactively cooperate with official investigations and inquiries.
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‘Hillsborough Law will be introduced before April’
Sir Keir said people “should never have needed to fight so hard to get” the policy but insisted it “will be delivered” by Labour.
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He said the law would not only help deliver justice for Hillsborough families but also the victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal, the infected blood scandal, the Windrush scandal and the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
He said Hillsborough Law will include criminal sanctions and be introduced to parliament before the next anniversary in April.
Sausages slip up
Addressing the escalating conflict in Lebanon – where authorities say 558 people have been killed by Israeli strikes – Sir Keir urged both sides to exercise “restraint” and focus on “de-escalation at the border”.
The prime minister told the audience: “I call again for restraint and de-escalation at the border between Lebanon and Israel. Again, all parties to pull back from the brink.”
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PM calls for ‘return of the sausages’ in Gaza
But in an apparent slip of the tongue, Sir Keir repeated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as well as the “return of the sausages” – which he quickly corrected to the “hostages” taken by Hamas.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to the two-state solution, with a “recognised Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel”.
He said he would take the same message to the UN General Assembly in New York, which he will be attending tomorrow.
Homes for heroes
Another key moment in the speech came when Sir Keir pledged to “house all veterans in need” as a means to “repay those who served us”.
The prime minister said there was an “injustice hiding in plain sight on our streets, in every town and city in this country”.
He described the nation’s veterans as “people who were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, who put their lives on the line to protect us all – but who will not have a safe place to sleep tonight”.
“We cannot stand by and let this happen anymore,” he added.
Defence of winter fuel cut
Much of this year’s conference has been dominated by the government’s controversial decision to scrap winter fuel payments for the majority of pensioners.
The criticism has been even more stinging in light of the row over Sir Keir and other cabinet ministers accepting a number of freebies and perks from companies and donors.
But Sir Keir was resolute in his speech that the move was the right thing to do and attempted to reassure those who may fear they will not be able to heat their homes this winter.
“I understand many of the decisions we must take will be unpopular,” he told the audience.
“If they were popular, they’d be easy, but the cost of filling that black hole in our public finances, that will be shared fairly.”
He continued: “If you can’t take that on faith, perhaps because you’re concerned about the winter fuel allowance, then I get that.
“Stabilising our economy is the first step of this long-term plan, the only way we keep prices low, cut NHS waiting lists, and secure the triple lock so that every pensioner in this country, every pensioner, will be better off with Labour.”
PM delivers strong message to rioters
Migration – historically a tricky area for Labour – also featured in Sir Keir’s speech, where he said he has “always accepted” that concerns about it are “legitimate”.
But he said the debate cannot and should not be about the “worth of migrants” but about the “control of migration”.
He argued that those who were involved in the riots in the summer were not the same people who had legitimate concerns about migration.
“No, people concerned about immigration were not doing that because they understand that this country, this democratic country, is built on the rule of law, the ballot box, the common understanding that we debate our differences,” he said.
“We do not settle them with violent thuggery, and that racism is vile, so to those of you who equivocate about this, I simply say: the country sees you and it rejects you.”
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Heckler tackles Sir Keir over Gaza
Towards the end of the prime minister’s speech, a heckler, later identified as 18-year-old Labour member Daniel Riley, confronted Sir Keir over the government’s stance on the Middle East.
The protester could be heard shouting about “the children of Gaza”.
The prime minister responded by telling the audience: “This guy’s obviously got a pass from the 2019 conference” – a reference to how the party has changed under his leadership.
He adds: “While he’s been protesting, we’ve been changing the party. That’s why we’ve got a Labour government.”
Sir Keir Starmer has joined other European leaders in Kyiv to press Russia to agree an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
The prime minister is attending the summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, recently-elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
It is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled to Ukraine at the same time – arriving in the capital by train – with their meeting hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz travelling in the saloon car of a special train to Kyiv. Pic: Reuters
Leaders arrive in Kyiv by train. Pic: PA
It comes after Donald Trump called for “ideally” a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, and warned that if any pause in the fighting is not respected “the US and its partners will impose further sanctions”.
Security and defence analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News presenter Samantha Washington the European leaders are “rowing in behind” the US president, who referred to his “European allies” for the first time in this context in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“So this meeting is all about heaping pressure on the Russians to go along with the American proposal,” he said.
“It’s the closest the Europeans and the US have been for about three months on this issue.”
Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron among world leaders in Kyiv. Pic: AP
Trump calls for ceasefire. Pic: Truth Social
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies are ready for a “full, unconditional ceasefire” for at least 30 days starting on Monday.
Ahead of the meeting on Saturday, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz released a joint statement.
European leaders show solidarity – but await Trump’s backing
The hope is Russia’s unilateral ceasefire, such as it’s worth, can be extended for a month to give peace a chance.
But ahead of the meeting, Ukrainian sources told Sky News they are still waiting for President Donald Trump to put his full weight behind the idea.
The US leader has said a 30-day ceasefire would be ideal, but has shown no willingness yet for putting pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin to agree.
The Russians say a ceasefire can only come after a peace deal can be reached.
European allies are still putting their hopes in a negotiated end to the war despite Moscow’s intransigence and President Trump’s apparent one-sided approach favouring Russia.
Ukrainians would prefer to be given enough economic and military support to secure victory.
But in over three years, despite its massive economic superiority to Russia and its access to more advanced military technology, Europe has not found the political will to give Kyiv the means to win.
Until they do, Vladimir Putin may decide it is still worth pursuing this war despite its massive cost in men and materiel on both sides.
“We reiterate our backing for President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace,” they said.
“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.”
Sir Keir and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in March. Pic: AP
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Putin’s Victory Day parade explained
The leaders said they were “ready to support peace talks as soon as possible”.
But they warned that they would continue to “ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine” until Moscow agrees to a lasting ceasefire.
“We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come,” their statement added.
“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine.”
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The European leaders are set to visit the Maidan, a central square in Ukraine’s capital where flags represent those who died in the war.
They are also expected to host a virtual meeting for other leaders in the “coalition of the willing” to update them on progress towards a peacekeeping force.
Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for a coalition, which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.
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This force “would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace”, according to Number 10.
A special constable has been jailed after taking pictures on his phone from bodycam footage showing a dying man.
Former police volunteer William Heggs, 23, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at Leicester Crown Court on Friday after showing the photos of victim William Harty, 28, to a female colleague and storing them on his Snapchat account.
Mr Harty was found seriously injured in a residential street in Leicester on 25 October 2021 and Heggs had attended the scene, helping with CPR before paramedics arrived.
Mr Harty died in hospital a day later and the man responsible for his injuries, his brother-in-law Martin Casey, was subsequently convicted of his manslaughter.
Heggs showed the pictures he had taken of bodycam footage of Mr Harty’s body to a Leicestershire Police constable, who reported Heggs and said she did not like seeing blood.
His phone was seized and officers discovered other photographs and video clips of bodyworn footage of incidents Heggs had attended on duty, including of a knife seizure, use of baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid.
He also took pictures of a police computer screen, showing details of crimes and suspects, without consent.
Heggs stored the materials in a Snapchat folder and disclosed graphic details – most of which were not in the public domain – about the injuries to a woman who was killed in a road traffic collision he had attended, to a friend on the social media platform.
Heggs was suspended from the force in November 2021 and resigned in October 2024 before pleading guilty to 11 computer misuse and data protection offences this March.
William Harty’s widow Mandy Casey. Pic: PA
‘He has traumatised me’
Mr Harty’s widow, Mandy Casey, said in a victim impact statement read to the court that Heggs “took (her) husband’s dignity when he was most vulnerable”.
“You don’t take someone’s dignity and pride from them on their deathbed.”
She continued: “When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask why. He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others.”
Ms Casey said she was still scared that photos of her husband’s body might appear on social media.
She added that she had lost trust in the police.
Public trust in police ‘significantly undermined’
Judge Timothy Spencer told Heggs, who has autism and ADHD, that he was “probably too immature to be working as a police officer” as he handed down the sentence.
He said Heggs had received “extensive training”, including on the importance of data protection, and knew he should only share materials for “a genuine policing purpose”.
Heggs’s actions had “significantly undermined” public trust and confidence in police, according to the judge.
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Malcolm McHaffie, from the Crown Prosecution Service, added: “William Heggs abused the public’s trust in the office he held as a special police constable.
“He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers.”
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