Nigel Farage doesn’t have the answers – Labour’s Plan for Change does
Broxburn, August 2025: Nigel Farage speaks at a press conference | Image by: PA Images / Alamy
4 min read
As we all head to fringe events and speeches on conference floor, it’s clear that Britain faces a choice: between decency and division, between renewal or decline
I’ve lost count of how many Labour Party Conferences I’ve attended over the years – as an activist, an MP and now in the job of my dreams as party chair.
But as politicians, journalists, and delegates head to the windy docks of Liverpool for this year’s event, we can’t ignore how fractured the political landscape currently is and how important it is that we fix it.
Nearly a decade and a half of Conservative rule saw the Tories trash everything – the economy; our public services; in fact, the whole social fabric of the country. They’ve left our Labour government yet again with the unenviable task of fixing what they broke.
But as we all head to fringe events, seminars and speeches on conference floor, it’s clear that Britain faces a choice: between decency and division, between renewal or decline.
This conference will set out that choice in the starkest of terms. It will show how Labour chooses the path of renewal towards a fairer country, rediscovering its pride and taking control of its future.
But that path of renewal won’t be easy. It takes courage to face up to the difficult decisions ducked by the Tories.
More importantly, it’s a pivotal point in history for the whole labour movement to stand up and say we reject the false solutions and soundbites from those who want to divide, not unite, the country. And yes, for avoidance of doubt, I’m referring to Nigel Farage.
True patriotism means choosing renewal for the common good rather than stoking grievances and seeking to divide. The politics of anger but no answers is all that Reform offers.
Reform’s policies represent a serious threat to Britain’s future
That’s why at this conference, Labour will show we can do things differently – together – by setting out our patriotic case for national renewal. We know it’s a huge task. We know there is a lot more to do before working people feel the rewards in their everyday lives. But the change people voted for last year can’t be realised without rolling up our sleeves and delivering in a way people can see and feel. That work has begun and it’s already making a difference to families.
The tough work of repairing our public finances has already seen five interest rate cuts and wages rising more in the first 10 months of Labour than in the last 10 years of the Conservatives. That means cheaper mortgages for aspiring homeowners and more money in people’s pockets.
We’re getting the NHS back on its feet. We’ve already delivered five million extra appointments – meaning we are easing the struggle to get seen by a doctor or access a desperately needed hospital treatment.
Families are getting 30 hours of government-funded childcare for every child between nine months and four years, saving working parents up to £7,500 a year. We’re unlocking the dream of owning a home by overhauling the planning system to get more homes built. And we’ve secured three historic trade deals to boost jobs and economic growth.
It’s real progress, but it’s not job done. But at conference, we will proudly contrast Labour’s achievements with parties that have absolutely no interest in our national renewal.
Nigel Farage doesn’t have the answers. Reform’s policies represent a serious threat to Britain’s future and would return our country to the path of decline we saw under the Tories.
We will champion our Plan for Change – a plan for renewal, based on security, opportunity and respect. This is where the fight for Britain’s future will be. Not just in Liverpool, but in the years ahead.
Anna Turley is Labour (Co-op) MP for Redcar and chair of the Labour Party
