Labour conference: National Anthem to open event

Labour members will sing the national anthem at the party's conference next weekend.

Labour's leader Sir Keir Starmer will also pay tribute to the late Queen at the opening of the four-day conference in Liverpool on 25 September.

A Labour source said the party wanted to reflect on recent events. It is the first time in recent memory that the anthem will be sung.

Sir Keir attended the Queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday.

He said that the funeral represented the passing of an era, adding: "The dignity, courage, spirit, selflessness and good humour Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II showed throughout her reign will always be with us.

"We are lucky to call ourselves Elizabethans."

Labour conference traditionally ends with a rendition of the hymn Jerusalem and the song The Red Flag.

Sir Keir's predecessor as Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn had been critical of the monarchy, saying it "needed improvement" during the 2019 election campaign.

The Liberal Democrat conference was cancelled because it fell in the period of national mourning.

The Conservative party conference will take place in Birmingham from Sunday 2 October.