Keir Starmer UN speech - live: PM meets with Donald Trump for first time at two-hour dinner

If he resists the temptation to simply preach the gospel of his friend and proprietor Sir Paul Marshall, the former Tory minister may find that he thrives in the role, writes Alan Rusbridger:

Sir Keir Starmer has been busy meeting world leaders at the annual United Nations General Assembly ahead of his keynote speech today.

He held bilateral talks last night with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas as Israel’s war on Gaza continues.

Both leaders have condemned the attacks of 7 October and agreed on the need of an immediate ceasefire across the Middle East.

In a read out, No 10 said: “He also highlighted the civilian death toll in Gaza since then, with 41,000 killed and 100,000 injured, plus 70 per cent of infrastructure devastated.

“The prime minister agreed that the loss of civilian life had been intolerable.”

Downing Street added: “The president and prime minister also condemned the increase in settler violence and settlement activity there has been on the West Bank.”

Sir Keir Starmer’s address to the 2024 Labour Party Conference saw him promise to rebuild Britain “brick by brick” after fourteen years of Tory government, telling conference delegates his government will create a “Britain that belongs to you”.

But what exactly was announced? We look at the key developments from the prime minister’s speech below.

Sir Keir Starmer has finished a two-hour dinner meeting with Donald Trump in New York, according to reports.

The PM and Foreign Secretary David Lammy met with the former president before flying back to the UK.

Topics discussed included the importance of retaining the close partnership between the UK & US, according to Downing Street.

Sir Keir Starmer will visit Brussels as he steps up efforts to “reset” the UK’s relationship with the European Union.

The Prime Minister wants to repair the damage caused by years of Brexit wrangling in an effort to boost trade and security co-operation.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen revealed that Sir Keir would visit Brussels next week after the pair met in New York.

Sir Keir has met a string of EU leaders since taking office and has spoken about his “ambitious” plans for a new relationship.

Sir Keir said: “I want to reset our relationship with the EU and make Brexit work for the British people.”

He said he was “looking forward to visiting Brussels next week to start discussions” with the commission president.

Senior aids have revealed that Labour wants to “avoid” James Cleverly as future Tory leader.

According to the i newspaper, Downing Street officials said it was the former home secretary who they would least like to win the contest.

A Labour party figure said: “I think Cleverly could be a problem. He sounds quite reasonable,” a No 10 aide added: “James Cleverly – that’s who we want to avoid.”

Another government aide said Kemi Badenoch does not represent a threat as the party is “not sure she’d take our votes”.

A £10 billion US investment in a new artificial intelligence data centre will create 4,000 jobs in the UK, the government has announced.

The deal with private equity giant Blackstone will create Europe’s biggest AI data centre in Blyth, Northumberland.

You can read the full story below:

Rank-and-file members at conference – Labour’s supreme policy-making body – have voted against the government’s decision to means-test pensioners’ winter fuel payments.

John Rentoul explains why the cuts will go ahead regardless:

Sir Keir Starmer recorded a Covid-era broadcast urging the public to work from home from a Labour donor’s £18 million penthouse.

The Christmas message, broadcast in December 2021, was reportedly filmed at a flat belonging to Lord Waheed Alli - a donor who has handed hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Labour Party over the last two decades.

It came five days after the previous Conservative government presided over new guidance to limit the spread of a new Covid-19 variant, including recommendations to work from home when possible.

Our political correspondent Millie Cooke has the full story: