SIR Keir Starmer arrived at his first Labour conference as PM – as he tries to face down a growing civil war over freebies, Sue Gray and pensioner welfare cuts.
The PM will scramble to get his premiership back on track by promising “national renewal” in his big speech in Liverpool on Tuesday.
2
2
But just two months after his landslide victory, he is facing mutiny from his own party after a series of sleaze scandals and blunders.
In what is set to be a dramatic conference week in Liverpool, The Sun on Sunday can reveal:
:: Briefing wars against Sue Gray ramped up with one Labour insider comparing her to “Darth Vader” from Star Wars
:: Furious trade union chiefs will mount an audacious revolt against plans to axe winter fuel allowance from around 10 million pensioners
:: Despairing Labour MPs said it looked like the party top brass had their “hands in the till” over the clothes for donations scandal.
:: The PM’s approval rating plunged to its lowest ever – of minus 26 – according to an Opinium poll
In a bid to shake off his gloomy image, Sir Keir will promise to usher in a new era in his big conference speech on Tuesday.
He will say: “Never forget that this opportunity is only there because we changed the party.
“Country first, party second isn’t a slogan. It’s the foundation of this project. A pact with working people that we will fulfil.
“Nothing less than national renewal.”
But his hopes to get Labour back on track threatens to be knocked off course by a trade union revolt over cuts to winter fuel allowance to 10 million pensioners.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham will throw down the gauntlet by trying to force through a vote calling for a U-turn on the cuts.
In what is set to be a fiery showdown on the conference floor on Monday, the powerful union chief will speak herself to condemn No10.
A union insider told the Sun on Sunday: “There will be no surrender over this for the sake of a false unity.
“Starmer has said those with the broadest shoulders should bear the load but he’s picking the pockets of pensioners and doing nothing about the super-rich.”
A vote would not be binding on the PM, but would be hugely embarrassing and lay bare deep splits in the party.
Meanwhile, many in Labour are calling for Sir Keir to “get a grip” after the freebie clothes scandal.
The PM, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves have all vowed not to accept any more donations of designer gear after public outcry.
But Labour MPs said the whole saga smacked of “naivety”.
Labour big beast David Blunkett said the freebies of designer clothes and glasses was “inexplicable” to many.
Writing in today’s The Sun on Sunday, he said: “Perception, as the Tories discovered, is everything in politics…sometimes you need some old-fashioned political nous.”
One Labour MP said: “Voters are furious. They think it looks like they are dipping their hands in the till – taking freebies.
“It smacks of political naivety.”
Meanwhile, Sir Keir’s chief of staff Sue Gray is facing questions about her future after a growing chorus of Labour insiders tore into her.
Party advisers blame her for cutting their salaries while she rakes in £170,000 – more than the PM.
One Labour insider said she is hopeless at politics.
Recalling a meeting with her, he said: “Sue was like Darth Vader when she entered the room – she sucked the life out of it.
“She just isn’t a political animal and so doesn’t know how to interact with people in the Labour Party.”
Another said: “She ain’t no Thomas Cromwell.”
Cromwell was Henry VIIIs powerful enforcer – but ended up with his head chopped off after he fell foul of the Tudor King.
As thousands of Labour activists head to conference this weekend, MPs have been warned to be on their best behaviour.
Party chiefs have told politicians not to drink too much, saying: “We have been out of power for 14 years – this is not the week to let off steam.”
In a bizarre briefing which sounded like something out of the Cold War, party chiefs told MPs that the Tories would be sending lots of “spies” to the conference.
Secret Conservatives could hide recording devices in bushes and flowerbeds to eavesdrop on booze-fuelled conversations, MPs were told.
One MP said: “They were trying to scare the living daylights out of the new MPs.”