It’s the Labour PARTY! Sir Keir Starmer leads arrivals for a big Leftie night out on the town at Revolution bar in Liverpool as conference continues

• READ MORE: Angela Rayner tells Labour to be ‘unified’ about getting into power

Sir Keir Starmer led his Shadow Cabinet on a night out in Liverpool tonight, as they went to wind down after a busy start to the Labour Party Conference.

The first day of the annual meeting was clearly thirsty work for its top delegates, with a crowd of senior MPs pictured gathering at a Revolution bar in Albert Dock.

Dressed-down Starmer opted for a denim shirt and chinos as he headed to the bar, while some of his colleagues appeared to not have had time to change – arriving straight from the M&S Bank Arena.

Among them was Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who smiled for the cameras as they arrived to socialise with their peers.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Shabana Mahmood, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, also made an appearance at the packed Party social.

Dressed-down Starmer opted for a denim shirt and chinos as he headed to the bar in Liverpool

Rachel Reeves wore a smart teal suit and black heels as she arrived from the conference

Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy smiled for the cameras as he headed out in Liverpool

Shabana Mahmood, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, met up with her colleagues after the first day of the conference

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper made an appearance along with other top flight MPs

Senior MPs and party advisors made an appearance at the Sunday night social at a Revolution bar in Albert Dock

The Labour leader was seen laughing with his colleagues in a far more relaxed setting than the conference hall

Party treasurer Mike Payne said membership fees continue to be the primary source of income, and raise approximately £16 million.

He said the membership stands at around 380,000, which is ‘slightly lower’ than the number reported for 2021 although membership income levels were ‘higher than anticipated’.

Mr Payne said it is ‘not unusual for membership numbers to fluctuate throughout election cycles’, telling the Labour Party conference in Liverpool: ‘Due to the turbulence in the Government over the summer and autumn, and given the positive vision for Britain and the policy agenda set out by (Starmer), we have seen a surge in new members into the party.’

He added: ‘During the Tory conference we recruited 1,000 members in a week.’

Labour general secretary David Evans, looking ahead to the next general election, said: ‘How close do you feel we are to winning? Well, Keir will often remind us we should never be complacent, and we’re not, but there are reasons to be confident.’

He said the party has made progress since 2019, saying: ‘Difficult decisions, so our finances are strong and we can now invest more in this campaign than ever before.’

Mr Evans warned that Labour will ‘pay the price’ if they give the Conservatives an opportunity, as he noted their opponents have ‘given up governing’ but they ‘haven’t given up campaigning’.

Starmer arriving at the Albert Dock venue after a busy day of speeches and policy pledges

The speeches didn’t end at the conference, as Starmer was pictured addressing his colleagues at the social event

Anneliese Dodds, Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, stepped out for the event

Labour peer Tom Watson, Baron Watson of Wyre Forest, was among those who attended the gathering late on Sunday evening

Veteran MP Barry Gardiner was among those who turned up fresh from conference – clutching a pile of papers

During a busy day of speeches and making policy pledges, Deputy Leader Angela Rayner insisted Labour is ‘unified’ about getting into power.

She stressed that the party has ‘one aim’ as she rallied activists and glossed over infighting within the Left.

She took a series of potshots at Tories, including swiping at Suella Braverman’s tough law and order stance and joking that Jacob Rees-Mogg uses carrier pigeons instead of WhatsApp.

Addressing a packed hall, she said she hoped it would be her last speech to conference before the general election.

‘Because just like you, I am sick of being in Opposition,’ she said.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, a gathering of hundreds of company bosses will see Starmer ramp up the charm offensive with big business.

The party said Monday’s meeting in Liverpool will be the biggest of its kind – with hundreds remaining on the waiting list despite a doubling of the capacity.

Microsoft, Ikea and Octopus were to be among the attendees as the Labour leader tries to portray his party as both pro-worker and pro-business.

Keir Starmer warmly embraced Angela Rayner after she gave her speech to conference

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves will address the business forum, as will shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

Currys chief executive Alex Baldock said Labour was now taking engagement with businesses ‘much more seriously’, saying having met with the shadow chancellor recently does not make him ‘special’.

‘I think everyone in London who wears a tie has had breakfast with Rachel Reeves,’ he told the BBC on Sunday.

Mr Reynolds will tell the businesses that Labour is ‘now the undisputed party of business’.

‘While the Conservatives have crashed the economy, Labour has worked hard to restore our economic credibility and put forward a policy platform that will get our economy back on track,’ he is expected to say.

‘While the Conservatives back-pedal on the promises made to British industry, Labour is outlining our serious plans for growth, sorting out the problems holding British business back.’

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