Andy Burnham gives us cause for hope - Ian Murray

Officially their purpose is to promote the party, perhaps allow a period of introspection and reflection, and meetings with important stakeholders.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the end of the Labour Party Conference at the ACC Liverpool

But the cold hard truth is that they involve time away from family in an unfamiliar, albeit great, city subsisting on a diet of warm wine and listless nibbles.

But this year was different. I came away from the 2026 Labour party conference in Liverpool, which took place over the last few days, with a renewed sense of optimism about where the country is heading.

The Prime Minister’s speech on Tuesday was a powerful, honest and emotional rallying call to the country. It was a privilege to be in the room to hear it and I think there is a good chance that years from now it will be remembered as a genuine turning point.

I would be the last person to recommend you watch a political speech – but I really would say that this one is worth watching if you haven’t seen it.

I think it'll go down in history as the speech that changed our country and politics for the better and for good.

It grappled with the big issues: our relationship with the European Union, social care, the pensions Triple Lock, electoral reform. These are complicated issues and change will be tricky and at times unpopular, but the Prime Minister is right not to shy away from them.

And he was right to be honest about the state of the country and voice the frustration felt by so many that we have been going down the wrong track for a long time. It is something I hear all the time when I am out and about speaking to people across the south of Edinburgh and beyond.

We have started to turn some of that around since the general election in 2024 - with the economy growing and net migration and small boat crossings significantly down thanks to decisions made by the Labour government. But I am all too aware that many people have been frustrated by the pace of change.

At their best, party conferences allow a political party to outline its vision and mission for the years ahead. Andy Burnham took that opportunity with both hands in his speech.

The substance of the agenda to come will be revealed later in the year with the publication of the government’s 10-Year Plan. But a hint of things to come is the decision to remove VAT from household energy bills, which comes into effect from today.

It is a small change, but a welcome sign of where this Labour government’s priorities lie, relieving some of the pressure on families over the winter months.

The 10-Year Plan will have a much larger scope and ambition. It will aim to get the country back on track, get politics working for ordinary people again, draw a line under the division and decline of the last decade, and outline a plan for a better future. Now that’s something to hope for.