Keir Starmer is mercilessly heckled by his own angry Labour members during key conference speech

SIR Keir Starmer battled merciless heckling by angry party members today as he used his big speech to break from the era of the loony left.

The Labour leader was even interrupted as he spoke movingly about his late mum's fight with a crippling illness.

It comes after a fraught few day of infighting at the Brighton conference as Sir Keir sought to banish the hard left to the party's fringes for good.

In a swipe at Jeremy Corbyn's 2019 election thrashing, he said: "We will never under my leadership go into an election with a manifesto that is not a serious plan for government."

Furious activists yelled "it was your Brexit policy!" and "where's Peter Mandelson?" - the Tony Blair ally loathed by the party's hard left.

A handful held up giant "red cards" to signal their dissatisfaction. Hecklers included ex-Big Brother contestant Carole Vincent.

In the keynote speech:

• Sir Keir called Boris Johnson a "tool" and branded him "trivial"
• He also urged the PM to "get a grip or get out of the way"
• He pledged to give teenagers two weeks compulsory work experience
• He pledged to make mental health services would be available within a month
• Sir Keir unveiled a multi-billion climate policy to insulate 19million homes
• Patriotism was a major theme running through the speech
• Dame Louise Ellman received a standing ovation for rejoining the party after leaving because of anti-Semitism

JEER STARMER

Exasperated Sir Keir was forced to stop speaking entirely at one point as he was drowned out by fired-up members.

Visibly frustrated he snapped back: "Shouting slogans or changing lives conference?"

One person howled out as Sir Keir spoke about his late mum Josephine's influence on his politics.

The Labour boss said: "I got from my mum an ethic of service. But my mum was also, unfortunately, a long-term patient of the NHS."

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said it was "awful" hecklers piped up during such an emotional point.

At the end of the 90-minute speech his wife Victoria rushed up on stage to give him a massive hug.

Arch-heckler Ms Vincent - who finished fifth on series eight of big brother in 2007 - said afterwards: "I don't consider it to be heckling, I consider that I stood up and spoke out because it needed to be said."

She was upset with him vowing to raise the minimum wage by £10 rather than £15.

A spokesman for Sir Keir said Labour was "happy" with how the speech landed and that heckles were expected.

He said: "Obviously there was clearly a view that there could be those who would want to express an opinion in the speech."

RESET MOMENT

Allies view the speech as a major reset moment for Sir Keir's leadership after a bruising 18 months in charge.

It's his first time speaking to the party faithful in person after Covid throttled his efforts to make an impression with voters.

He's also battled bitter infighting that flared again this week when a shadow cabinet minister resigned with an attack on Sir Keir for abandoning socialism.

Moves to change the party's rulebook to prevent another Jeremy Corbyn becoming leader also left Labour lefties reeling.

Yesterday Sir Keir declared that winning was more important than party unity.

STARMER'S STALL

Laying out his stall to the nation he said: "I see the government lost in the woods with two paths beckoning. One path leads back where we came from.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

"None of the lessons of Covid are heeded. The divisions and flaws that were brutally exposed by the pandemic all worsen.
 
"But there is another path down which we address the chronic problems revealed by Covid with the kindness and the togetherness that got us through.

"That path leads to a future in which a smart government enlists the brilliance of scientific invention to create an economy in which people are healthy and well-educated. A contribution society in which everyone has their role to play."

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErKynZpOke7a3jqecsKtfpbyttdOimqxnYWt%2FeIOUbHBoo5Wev26%2F05qppp2iYra0ecyeqZyhnJrAtLjYZp%2Bem5uhsqV5w66poqaXYsCxscScn2g%3D