Sussan Ley slams Anthony Albanese’s decision to speak at British Labour Party’s annual conference

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has shunned Anthony Albanese’s decision to address a Labour Party conference in the UK.

Anthony Albanese “crossed the line” by addressing a Labour Party conference in the UK, says Sussan Ley who described it as “totally unacceptable” to give a partisan speech while travelling on taxpayer dollars.

The Opposition leader criticised the Prime Minister’s decision to speak at the event in Liverpool where UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called Mr Albanese a “true friend of Britain” and thanked him for being a “key partner in standing up to the divisive politics of the right”.

Ms Ley said she had “no problem” with Mr Albanese meeting King Charles III, Sir Keir and other UK officials, including British Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch during his three-day visit.

Sir Keir Starmer and Anthony Albanese during the Labour Party conference at ACC Liverpool. Picture: Getty Images

“But giving a speech backing in a political party in another country that really does cross the line, and I know Australians would be disappointed in their prime minister for doing just this,” Ms Ley said.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers defended Mr Albanese’s decision, saying that slot at the conference had “traditionally been given by a leader of another country”.

“That’s not entirely unusual,” he said.

“(Mr Albanese) made sure that he met with both sides of politics while he was in the UK, and the head of state and the prime ministers of Canada and Spain — I think any objective use of the Prime Minister’s time.”

In his UK speech on Sunday, Mr Albanese attacked the “low politics of fear and resentment” and warned that it will “only divide the country, they don’t advance you”.

He spoke of the importance of democracy and told the conference: “When we chose democracy we chose the hard road, because building to last takes time”.

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Anthony Albanese has attacked the “low politics of fear and resentment” and warned that it will “only divide the country, they don’t advance you”, in a speech given in the UK on Sunday, local time.

Addressing the British Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool on the final day of his three-day visit to the UK, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called Mr Albanese a “true friend of Britain” and thanked him for being a “key partner in standing up to the divisive politics of the right”.

Anthony Albanese gestures as he prepares to speak on the first day of the annual Labour Party conference in Liverpool, northwest England. Picture: AFP

Mr Albanese spoke of the importance of democracy and told the conference: “When we chose democracy we chose the hard road, because building to last takes time”.

“Delivering change is more difficult than just demanding,” he said.

“Working within the system is tougher than railing against it and creating solutions requires more of us than just shouting slogans”.

On the weekend opposition leader Sussan Ley criticised Mr Albanese and said his trip to the UK was wasting taxpayer funds.

She accused him of using public money and “hanging out with his left-wing mates”.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, attend the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, England. Picture: PA via AP

Mr Albanese has repeatedly defended his attendance at the UK Labour conference and said while in the UK he had also held a meeting with the leader of the UK Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch.

Outside the conference dozens of protesters gathered including people waving British flags and holding up signs opposing the introduction of digital IDs in Britain.

(left to right) Lady Victoria Starmer, Jodie Haydon and former prime minister Julia Gillard. Picture: PA/Getty Images

The IDs – that the government announced last week – will be introduced by the end of decade and be used to prove that a person can legally live and work in the UK.

Pro-Palestinian protesters also gathered outside Liverpool’s Exhibition Centre to protest against the war in Israel and one banner read, “Israel starves kids” while other held signs that said, “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”.

Wife of Britain's Prime Minister, Victoria Starmer (L), Jodie Haydon, and former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard. Picture: AFP

Several arrests were made by police of protesters from the Palestine Action group which is a proscribed organisation in the UK.

At the conference Mr Albanese also met with UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and the UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting as well as other senior ministers.

Protesters outside the UK Labour conference in Liverpool held up signs opposing the introduction of digital cards by the government. Picture: Sophie Elsworth

The four-day Labour conference in northwest England is expected to draw more than 20,000 people.

Mr Albanese also addressed issues including the housing crisis and the difficulty of first-home buyers breaking into the market.

“At a time when young people feel the housing market is beyond their reach we must build the new homes and create the economic opportunity that revives the dream of home ownership,” he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (R) embraces Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, after he address delegates. Picture: Getty Images

Mr Albanese also referenced previous UK and Australian prime ministers including Clement Attlee and Ben Chifley and said: “Their Labor governments worked to build societies worthy of those who’d fought to defend the world from fascism and tyranny”.

“Just as, in the 1980s and ’90s, Bob Hawke and Paul Keating passed the torch to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown,” he said.

“Where, in both our countries, Labor was able to remain the party of compassion and opportunity......by embracing our role as the party of openness, aspiration and prosperity”.

Former prime minister Julia Gillard was also in the crowd when Mr Albanese addressed the conference.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses delegates during the Labour Party conference at ACC Liverpool, England. Picture: Getty Images

The prime minister’s strong support for Sir Keir comes at a time when the British leader has had a difficult month and is plummeting in the polls.

This month Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner resigned after she failed to pay £40,000 ($81,900) in stamp duty tax and Sir Keir also fired the UK ambassador to the US Lord Peter Mandelson over his close relationship with deceased convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

There is increasing speculation that Sir Keir could face a leadership threat by Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.

Demonstrators protest against the Labour Government's plans to introduce a Digital ID, outside of the Labour Party's conference in Liverpool. Picture: Getty Images

The latest YouGov poll showed Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage is on track to be Britain’s next prime minister and would win 311 or 650 seats in the House of Commons compared to Labour with 144 seats.

The UK’s next election is not until 2029.

Demonstrators protest against the Labour Government's plans to introduce a Digital ID and farmer's inheritance tax policy, outside of the Labour Party's conference in Liverpool. Picture: Getty Images

Mr Albanese also told the conference both Australia and the UK had joined forces on many fronts including joining the Coalition of the Willing – countries uniting to support Ukraine – and on a range of other issues such as building new submarines through the AUKUS partnership and recognising Palestinian statehood.

Originally published as Sussan Ley slams Anthony Albanese’s decision to speak at British Labour Party’s annual conference