Labour conference - as it happened: Brexit rows deepen as senior party figures make series of conflicting statements

All the updates from Liverpool, as they happened

Keir Starmer at Labour conference: 'We do not accept that the choice is whatever the PM manages to cobble together or no deal'

Labour members have overwhelmingly backed a Brexit approach that leaves a second referendum on the table, following a day of splits among senior party figures.

Delegates backed a motion that said Labour "must support all options remaining on the table, including campaigning for a public vote" on the penultimate day of the party's annual conference.

It came after Sir Keir Starmer received a standing ovation from delegates when he vowed "nobody is ruling out Remain" from the ballot paper in a new Brexit vote.

The shadow Brexit secretary risked reigniting tensions at the top of the party with the promise, which came after John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, appeared to rule it out.

Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, also said Labour should seek to delay Brexit by extending article 50, if it won a snap general election. But Jeremy Corbyn later told journalists that Brexit would happen on March 29 next year.

See below for live updates

Key Points

• Labour members back Brexit motion that leaves second referendum on the table
• Sir Keir Starmer vows 'nobody is ruling out Remain' to rapturous applause
• Labour government should delay Brexit by extending article 50, says Thornberry
• Thornberry claims 'sickening' individuals using Palestine as 'cloak for despicable hatred of Jewish people'
• Plan for female deputy leader collapses, triggering accusations of dirty tricks by Corbyn’s team

[25 September 2018 08:29 · Lizzy Buchan]

Welcome to The Independent's politics liveblog, where we will be bringing you all the latest updates from Labour's annual conference in Liverpool.

[25 September 2018 08:46 · Lizzy Buchan]

Sir Keir Starmer insisted that Labour is "coming together" over its Brexit approach, as splits over strategy dominated the party's annual conference.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We've got a proposition, it's going to be put to a vote today, there's going to be unity behind that."

Sir Keir also appeared to suggest John McDonnell might have been tired yesterday when he ruled out keeping staying in the EU on the table.

The shadow Brexit secretary said: "To be fair, John (McDonnell) did a number of interviews yesterday and I think you know that he did say later in the day that all options are on the table, so just trying to sort of find this divide between a party which is actually coming together today around a proposition is fine and I understand it."

[25 September 2018 08:59 · Lizzy Buchan]

Sir Keir will give his main conference speech later this morning, where he will announce that Labour is preparing to vote against Theresa May's deal if it doesn't meet its six tests.

Asked about the plan by Today, he said: "I think it's going to be a very bad deal, I don't think it's going to meet our tests and we shouldn't be voting for a deal which we don't think is in the national interest."

He added: "We cannot carry on with this idea that the prime minister can bring back any deal that she cobbles together and we must all vote for it however awful it is, because something even worse will happen if we don't. What is the point? That's not a meaningful vote.

"To say to parliamentarians 'Well, you can have a vote on this deal, but, by the way, if you don't vote for it, you're going to get something much worse', and there has to be a point where Parliament says it is not good enough.

"I don't think there's a majority in Parliament for no deal, I don't think no deal is the consequence, that's why we're putting other options on the table."

[25 September 2018 09:23 · Lizzy Buchan]

Here's our overnight story on the new rifts over Labour's Brexit policy.

Labour is embroiled in a row over the party’s approach to a Final Say Brexit referendum, following a split between two of the shadow cabinet’s most senior figures.

Sir Keir Starmer, the party’s Brexit spokesman, was forced to confirm that remaining in the EU will be a potential option in a future referendum backed by Labour after John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, ruled the idea out.

 More here:

[25 September 2018 09:37 · Lizzy Buchan]

Political editor Joe Watts has a fascinating insiders account of the fractious six-hour meeting that decided Labour's Brexit policy.

Have a read here:

[25 September 2018 10:00 · Lizzy Buchan]

Sir Keir Starmer declined to rule out extending the Article 50 process, under which the UK leaves the EU two years after declaring its intention to quit.

Asked whether he could guarantee Britain would leave the EU on March 29, Sir Keir told TalkRadio: "Well the answer is it depends, because we don't know when we're going to get a deal.

"The October deadline might slip to November, November might slip to December. I don't know, I'm not conducting the negotiations so the timeline is not in our control.

"I don't think at this stage anybody is talking about extending Article 50 but if it has to be extended quite frankly it will be because of the collapsing failure of the discussions and the negotiations."

[25 September 2018 10:21 · Lizzy Buchan]

Labour is set to vote against any Brexit deal Theresa May agrees with Brussels, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

Ahead of his speech at Labour's annual conference in Liverpool, the shadow Brexit secretary predicted the government would try to force "a very bad deal" through Parliament.

More here: 

[25 September 2018 10:43 · Lizzy Buchan]

An interesting row is brewing this morning over the possible creation of a female deputy leader.

Delegates were due to vote later today on a motion proposing a female deputy, who would serve alongside Tom Watson.

However the CLP proposing the motion, Wirral West, appears to have withdrawn the suggestion. 

The original idea was seen by some as an attempt to undermine Mr Watson by the left of the party. However the leadership has apparently taken fright at the prospect of a female deputy being used to undermine Mr Corbyn.

[25 September 2018 11:00 · Lizzy Buchan]

Rapturous response for Keir Starmer as he makes his conference address. He confirms what he told the Independent - that Remain is still on the table. 

[25 September 2018 11:15 · Lizzy Buchan]

Sir Keir Starmer said he was 'devastated' by the referendum result as he had campaigned passionately to stay in the EU.

In a key extract, he said: "I know that you want clarity on where we stand on the deal now.

"Because some have said Labour could vote for any deal the Tories reach. Some have said we may abstain.

"Some have said we may support a vague deal – a ‘blind Brexit’ – that gives no detail about the terms of our future relationship. So, let me be very clear - right here, right now: 

"If Theresa May brings back a deal that fails our tests – and that looks increasingly likely - Labour will vote against it. No ifs, no buts."