UK's Starmer rules out austerity as Labour conference opens

Liverpool: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to protect public services and ruled out austerity measures as his Labour party s annual confe...

Liverpool: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to protect public services and ruled out austerity measures as his Labour party's annual conference kicked off on Sunday, its first in 15 years as a governing party.

The four-day gathering in Liverpool, northwest England, comes three months after Labour secured a runaway general election victory over the Conservatives.

Under pressure on several fronts, the party will have to strike a balance between celebrating Labour's long-awaited victory, defending its record, and not letting up on reminders of "difficult decisions" to come.

After months of gloom about Britain's economy, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner struck a more optimistic note in a key speech on Sunday, standing in front of a red background emblazoned with the slogan "change begins".

Peppered with light-hearted quips and applause, the speech recounted the government's first three months in power, with Rayner -- also in charge of housing and communities -- promising to "fix the foundations and put Britain back on the path to growth".