Labour membership increased by more than 2,500 over the party’s conference, fuelled by the Conservatives’ turmoil and polls suggesting it is on course for victory.
The conference in Liverpool was the most financially successful in the party’s history, according to insiders. A new poll by Deltapoll as the conference closed on Wednesday gave Labour a 13-point lead, as Liz Truss faced calls to sack her chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, following the emergency intervention by the Bank of England after his mini-budget.
Angela Rayner closed the conference by predicting activists would be meeting soon under a Labour government. “Think how it will feel meeting here in this hall in a few years’ time after a term of a Labour government,” she said. “Back in power.”
The party’s deputy leader added: “Too often when it comes to elections, people feel they have a choice of heart versus head: values or competence. I say to those watching at home: this week we have shown it’s a choice you will never have to make again.”
Insiders say the rise in membership has come since the party conference started on Sunday, although the party has lost significant numbers since the height of the Jeremy Corbyn years.
The Labour leader, Keir Starmer, said Kwarteng’s plan to set out his “medium-term fiscal plan” on 23 November would be too late, as people were “very, very worried” about the possibility of rising mortgage rates and inflation.
On the final day of the conference, Labour announced two new pledges on health and education. The shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, said the party would promise face-to-face GP appointments with any patients who wanted them, adding: “The days of waiting on the phone at 8am to book an appointment with your GP will be over, and we will bring back the family doctor.”
Streeting said patients would be able to “self-refer to specialist services where appropriate” where currently patients need permission from a GP.
Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, said Labour would reform the childcare system for children aged one to 11, starting with the provision of free breakfast clubs at all primary schools.
“I can tell you that the next Labour government will build a modern childcare system, one that supports families from the end of parental leave, right through to the end of primary school,” she told party activists.
“One that gives our children the start to their day, and the start to their life, they deserve. One that gives parents time to succeed and our economy the chance to grow. Breakfast clubs drive up standards and achievement. They improve behaviour, and attendance. Because it’s about the club, as well as the breakfast.”
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Though Labour chiefs are pleased the conference passed without major controversy, Starmer was forced to suspend the whip from the MP Rupa Huq after she described Kwarteng as “superficially” black at a fringe event.
Starmer told LBC her comments were racist and that he backed suspending her from the party. “What she said, in my view, was racist. It was wrong and she’s been suspended from the whip in the party and that was done very, very quickly,” he said.
The Labour leader said it was not his personal decision to suspend her but “it’s a decision I absolutely agree with”.
Huq, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton, apologised for her “ill-judged” comments on Tuesday, saying: “I have today contacted Kwasi Kwarteng to offer my sincere and heartfelt apologies for the comments I made at yesterday’s Labour conference fringe meeting.
“My comments were ill-judged and I wholeheartedly apologise to anyone affected.”