A platitudinous word soup read out by an emperor without his free clothes'

SIR Keir Starmer told pensioners yesterday they are "better off" under Labour despite his "tough decision" to axe winter fuel payments for 10 million.

- Sam Lister

In a conference speech branded a "platitudinous word soup" by critics, the Prime Minister insisted that he "gets" concerns about the cut but insisted the triple lock meant the state pension will keep rising.

And in a stark warning to everyone, Sir Keir said the public will have to put up with prisons and pylons on their doorstep if they want criminals locked up and cheaper electricity.

But he faced mockery on social media after making an embarrassing gaffe where he mixed up the word "hostages" with "sausages" when talking about Gaza.

Tory leadership contender Kemi Badenoch said: "Keir Starmer's first Labour Party conference speech as Prime Minister will mostly be remembered for him calling for the return of the sausages.

"He should be pleased that the commentary will focus on this, as the rest of the speech was a platitudinous word soup read out by an emperor naked without his free clothes."

Sir Keir told the conference in Liverpool that "many of the decisions we must take will be unpopular" but claimed the burden would be "shared fairly". He insisted there would be no return to austerity and said public services would be rebuilt in a "Labour way".