Apart from a bright spark of hope in the victory of the Gaza motion, this year’s conference lacked vision and purpose — we need to urgently reconnect Labour with its roots rather than weakly aping the flag-waving right, argues KIM JOHNSON MP

IN THIS super-election year, as political parties gear up for campaigns and strategise their platforms, there’s one issue that cannot be swept under the rug any longer: the pervasive racism faced by Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities across Britain.
Discrimination against these communities is as common as rain, yet it seems to be conveniently overlooked or exploited for political gain. This year we say enough is enough.
In the same week the former Labour Party candidates for Rochdale and Hyndburn were rightfully dropped for anti-semitism, another story broke highlighting the deep-rooted racism that pervades our society.

DIANE ABBOTT MP argues that Labour’s proposals contained in the recent white paper won’t actually bring down immigration numbers or win support from Reform voters — but they will succeed in making politics more nasty and poisonous

