British Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to protect public services and ruled out austerity measures as Labour's annual conference kicked off on Sept 22, its first in 15 years as a government party.
The four-day gathering in Liverpool, north-west England, comes three months after Labour secured a 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 speech on Sept 22, 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 Ms Rayner - also in charge of housing and communities - promising to "fix the foundations and put Britain back on the path to growth".
Ahead of the conference, Mr Starmer told the Observer newspaper that his government had in 11 weeks done "far more than the last government did probably in the last 11 years".
Denne historien er fra September 23, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
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Denne historien er fra September 23, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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BLACK DAY FOR BRITISH PUBS
At her London pub, landlady Kate Davidson has taken to issuing Guinness ration cards, but the beer still ran out amid a British shortage of Ireland's national drink.
Her Last Gifts
It was exhausting, he sighed. But Carol insisted; her name being what it was and his, she said with a big grin, being Chris. Remember, this is the blessed spirit of the season, to give as we have been given.
When You Think About Me
She empties the last drawer and, between stray baubles, there's the cookie tin, the one hunted down from some narrow shop in Liverpool because it didn't ship here.
Gift Of The Magi
Let's say you never intended to use Magi. Let's say you know about all the scandals: the accusations of stolen data, the EU lawsuits, the CEO's abhorrent behaviour. Let's say you don't even believe the outlandish social media claims that the app is magical, like actual magic. You know it's not possible it reads your mind, plumbs your soul, knows your heart's desires. You're not so gullible.
Ho Ren Yung: Steering global brand evolution of Banyan Group
Ms Ho Ren Yung, deputy chief executive of Banyan Group, oversaw the company's brand relaunch in a bumper year of 19 openings in 2024. These included Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto in Japan and Angsana Tengchong in China.
Jury-rigged Hotpot
The Japan Home folding table was just big enough to accommodate two.
Tales of love, peace and hope
The Sunday Times invites five authors to pen short stories around the theme of A Christmas Gift
Japan: Taking centre stage in Singapore and beyond
Scroll through your social media feed this holiday season, and practically everyone you know is in Japan or making plans to vacation there.
UOB: Most influential patron in Singapore art scene
UOB's \"day job\" is handling loans, deposits and a wealth of diverse portfolios. But the bank cemented its role as the most influential patron in the Singapore art scene in 2024, investing good chunks of cash in both arts and arts education.
Fong Chi Chung: Putien restaurants make dining out more affordable
In a year where diners made themselves scarce - preferring to spend their strong Singapore dollars overseas, and leading restaurant owners and chefs to despair over empty dining rooms - this power lister made a power move that others in the industry are watching closely.
