Labour conference: GB Energy to be based in Aberdeen, Keir Starmer confirms

Labour’s GB Energy company will be “based in Aberdeen”, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed in a long-awaited move.

The Prime Minister announced: “We said GB Energy – our publicly-owned national champion, the vehicle that will drive forward our mission on clean energy – we said it belonged in Scotland.

“And it does. But the truth is, it could only really be based in one place in Scotland.

“So today I can confirm that the future of British energy will be powered, as it has been for decades by the talent and skills of the working people in the Granite City, with GB Energy based in Aberdeen.”

Addressing the annual Labour conference in Liverpool for the first time after entering No10, Sir Keir stressed he had transformed the party and pledged “the changes we made are permanent and irreversible… country first, party second”.

The speech followed Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ address on Monday in offering a more hopeful tone, which saw Starmer argue: “We do need joy. We do need that in our lives.”

He also called for Labour to “be proud to be the party of wealth creation, unashamed to partner with the private sector”.

More to follow