Starmer bests his conference critics but path ahead still looks perilous

PM made long-awaited rallying call against Reform threat, but many in Labour still fear his shortcomings will produce a public challenge

With Labour party delegates waving the flags of the UK nations during Keir Starmer's conference speech this week, the beleaguered prime minister was reassured that his paean to patriotism had hit the spot.

Downing Street insiders say that his address had been locked down" for three weeks, avoiding the usual last-minute rewrites and adjustments, as he was so clear in his mind of the argument he wanted to make. Aides met in Chequers at the beginning of the summer, to find Starmer had reams of notes of his vision of how to address the rising tide of nationalism.