JONATHAN ASHWORTH: 'Nigel Farage pretends to be the friend of working people but all he's offering is snake oil'

The Labour Party Conference starts in Liverpool today. I’ve been a regular participant at these gatherings since 1996 when I was a steward on the conference hall doors.

Having been to so many Labour Conferences, I know not to get too worked up with the bar room gossip and the excitable hoo hah about political manoeuvrings. Sure, it’s entertaining for journalists but it’s mere flotsam and jetsam.

What matters is whether your team sets out a vision of the future and delivers for the country. The Labour Party is most successful when we place our driving mission for fairness and opportunity centre stage. That's exactly what Labour’s top team are doing.

Take one of my personal big passions, the NHS as an example. It was Labour who created the NHS to ‘lift the shadow from millions of homes.’ Today it’s a Labour government through investment, reform and the applications of extraordinary advances in science and AI, tackling waiting times and delivering quality care again.

READ MORE: Labour education chief drops huge two child benefit cap hint as pressure mounts

READ MORE: Find out how your constituency may vote in next General Election after shock poll

To support working people Labour is increasing the minimum wage, handed more protections to employees and outlawing rogue practices. A million young people were condemned to worklessness under the Tories.

Labour is bringing in new far reaching reforms to skills provision and welfare to work initiatives to give this generation a new future. I’ve long argued the record of the Tories on poverty was shameful. Benefit cuts like the two child rule were heinous.

Government ministers will soon publish their child poverty review. Action is urgent. It's time for a big, bold approach guaranteeing every child across our United Kingdom will matter again. Labour is expanding access to breakfast clubs and school dinners as the first steps for today’s youngsters. Keir Starmer promised yesterday, “we’re going to bring down child poverty. This is the clear intent of this government.”

A Labour government WILL confront the scourge of child poverty and squalor. It’s only a Labour Government that can level up life chances and in so doing provide opportunities. The alternatives of Reform and the Tories would mean vital services slashed and more children pushed into punishing hardship.

Nigel Farage pretends to be the friend of working people but all he’s offering is snake oil plus a lethal dose of hyper Thatcherism that would devastate Labour communities all over again, Labour must show there is purpose in our politics: to give every child the best start, to give every young person the prospect of training with good well paid work, to guarantee every citizen the very best NHS. That’s a vision of fairness and opportunity that unites our Party and one that Farage could never match.

'Labour can’t stand on sidelines'

Across Leicester thousands are joyfully dancing the night away celebrating the Hindu festival of Navratri. Soon Leicester’s streets will sparkle with bright lights for Diwali. Next week Mosques will open their doors for the annual ‘visit my mosque’ day.

I always swell with pride at how Leicester offered warm welcome to families from across the globe including countries such India, Bangladesh and Pakistan

And I know our NHS would grind to halt if it wasn’t for international nurses and medics providing exceptional care to our sick and elderly. British values celebrate diversity.

It’s why Nigel Farage’s plans to deport LEGAL immigrants, in many cases those who pay their taxes and contribute to our communities, must be exposed for the divisive, nasty politics it is. Labour can’t stand on sidelines.

'Angela was a glittering superstar of Keir’s Cabinet'

Losing Angela Rayner was a real blow. Angela was a glittering superstar of Keir’s Cabinet. I reckon she’ll be back one day.

The race is on for a new Deputy Leader. Labour is blessed with two tough, smart, highly capable, intelligent, serious politicians. They would both do Labour proud .

Take no notice of anyone saying the contest between Manchester’s Lucy Powell and Sunderland’s Bridget Philipson is some proxy battle for others. That’s sexist claptrap.

The Mirror Party

The Mirror’s Conference do where Cabinet bigwigs belt out their favourite Karaoke songs is always the hot ticket in town. A brilliant rock band from Barnsley - Rockeoke - perform the backing music too. With Oasis touring again and after a few rough months for Labour, I wonder if Don’t Look Back In Anger might be this year’s most popular number.

READ MORE: Join our Mirror politics WhatsApp group to get the latest updates from Westminster