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Dar es Salaam. Presidential candidate Doyo Hassan Doyo of the National League for Democracy (NLD) has identified five major challenges in Geita Region that he says he will address if elected in the October 29 General Election.

Speaking during his campaign tour in Sengerema District at Zamani Bus Terminal and Buseresere Ward yesterday, Mr Doyo said poor roads and high transport costs remain the region’s biggest problems. He also highlighted shortages of medicines and medical equipment in health centres, limited access to clean water, and farmers’ struggles to sell their produce in profitable markets.

“If citizens grant me their mandate, I will ensure farmers can sell their produce in markets that offer fair prices,” Mr Doyo said. “Currently, many are forced to sell in exploitative markets that perpetuate poverty.

If you trust me and vote on October 29, I will ensure farmers receive fair and motivating prices for all their crops.” Mr Doyo criticised the ruling party, CCM, for fixing prices that he says prevent farmers from earning fair returns, describing such policies as a way to keep citizens in poverty.

He also raised broader infrastructure and social service challenges, noting that despite the country’s rich mineral resources, including gold, diamonds, and Tanzanite, many citizens still lack access to clean water, health services, and quality roads. On transport, Mr Doyo said operators face high running costs due to poor roads and excessive taxes, limiting business growth.

“These problems have persisted for decades. Citizens are again asked to trust promises that were never fulfilled.

Tanzanians, choose NLD for real development,” he said. Campaign Manager Pogora Ibrahim Pogora urged voters to support Mr Doyo, noting that he had studied the challenges before seeking office.

“It is time for citizens to elect Mr Doyo, a leader committed to addressing the issues he has already researched,” Pogora said. He added that the NLD manifesto focuses on three principles: patriotism, justice, and development–values Mr Doyo promises to uphold if elected.

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Arusha. Four bird species native to Tanzania’s grasslands are in the running for the coveted title of Tanzania Bird of the Year 2026, with voting now open to citizens, the diaspora, tourists and global bird enthusiasts.

The contenders are the Common Ostrich, Red-necked Spurfowl, Kori Bustard and Southern Ground Hornbill. They are competing to succeed the Superb Starling, which currently holds the 2025 title until December.

The campaign, coordinated by Nature Tanzania, is part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness about bird conservation. Marketing Officer Gaudensia Mariki said students from Manyara Ranch Primary, Tumaini Senior Secondary and Edward Lowassa Secondary School have already voted.

“We also conducted a community campaign at the Makuyuni marketplace to familiarise residents with the voting process and to promote appreciation of birds and environmental protection,” Ms Mariki noted. According to Programme Officer Edwin Kamugisha, the voting exercise began on September 7 and will run for four weeks.

The 2026 winner will be officially announced in December after more than 10,000 votes are tallied both online and in person. Each species brings unique ecological value.

The Kori Bustard is celebrated as a heavyweight grassland ambassador, crucial in controlling insects and dispersing seeds. The Common Ostrich, symbolic of Tanzania’s savanna, contributes to ecological balance but faces threats from habitat loss and illegal hunting.

The Red-necked Spurfowl supports both grasslands and farmlands by dispersing seeds and regulating insect populations, though it is vulnerable to overhunting and habitat destruction. The Southern Ground Hornbill, known for its booming calls and slow breeding cycles, plays an important ecological role but is highly endangered.

Outgoing titleholder, the Superb Starling, with its dazzling plumage and social traits, remains a reminder that even familiar species face growing conservation challenges. Nature Tanzania Director Emmanuel Mgimwa said the Bird of the Year campaign, launched in 2023 with the Secretary Bird as the first winner, seeks to inspire citizens to protect “everyday nature” before it is too late.

“We want Tanzanians to understand that even common species are under threat. This year, we encourage everyone to take part and make their voices count, either face to face or online,” he said.

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London. European rating agency Scope has said that the shutdown of the U.

S. government is another negative for the country’s downgrade-threatened credit score.

Scope, which currently rates the U.S.

‘AA’ with a ‘negative outlook’, said it showed deepening political polarisation in the world’s largest economy and also comes amid mounting worries about President Donald Trump’s attacks on the Federal Reserve. “The administration’s increasingly unconventional policy approach has placed pressure on the long-standing checks and balances of the U.

S. governance system and are seen as credit negative for the U.

S. sovereign rating,” Scope analyst Eiko Sievert said.

He added that the risk of a U.S.

default due to political disputes remained unlikely, but was continuing to increase and would have “a significant impact if it occurred”. Scope tends to face less scrutiny from the U.

S. than the so-called “big 3” rating firms – SandP Global, Fitch and Moody’s – which became the last to strip the U.

S. of its prized triple-A rating earlier this year.

Sievert said that the deeper U.S.

political divisions become, the greater the risk that key policy compromises are not reached by the relevant debt limit deadlines. Despite a $5 trillion increase in the debt ceiling agreed as part of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” this year, a further increase is likely to be needed by 2028, Sievert added, given the current “weak fiscal outlook”.

Scope sees Washington’s budget deficit staying around 6% and the U.S.

debt-to-GDP ratio rising to 127 percent in the next five years. .

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania government is banking on a new documentary to showcase its tourism attractions, infrastructure development and investment opportunities in attempt to position the country at the centre of the global attention.

Called “Tanzania The African Dream,” the film, produced by Penresa in collaboration with CNBC Africa, was recently premiered before government officials, investors, tourism stakeholders, and diplomats in Dar es Salaam, with official launch expected next month. The documentary highlights Tanzania’s tourism, infrastructure, and investment landscape, telling the story of a nation translating vision into reality.

This is the second major documentary which displays Tanzania to the global stage in a period of less than five years. In 2022, Tanzania launched a documentary titled Tanzania The Royal Tour, which showcases tourist attractions such as Mount Kilimanjaro and Serengeti National Park on the Mainland, as well as luxury hotels including one located offshore in Pemba, in Zanzibar.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan personally guided viewers through the attractions alongside Peter Greenberg, a renowned journalist and filmmaker from the US television network CNBC. Zanzibar’s Minister for Tourism and Heritage, Mr Mudrik Ramadhan Soraga, told The Citizen on the sideline of the premiering event on September 25, 2025 that the documentary sends a strong message about Tanzania’s development trajectory.

“It’s plenty of information to be shared for everyone to see what is going on in Tanzania,” he said. “The energy is amazing, and the issues highlighted are directly aligned with our national priorities,” he added.

Mr Soraga described the film as a potential turning point in shaping international perceptions of Tanzania. “It will be a game changer for the overall direction we want to take.

We want to showcase what we have,” he said, adding that the pathway through the African Dream is through Tanzania. “Bottom line is Tanzania has really set itself apart–anything is possible here.

” He also pointed to the country’s stability as a strength. “Tanzania has all the ingredients we have stability, peace and unity that make a country both safe and attractive for investors.

” Looking ahead, Mr Soraga emphasised greater youth inclusion in national development. “We are fully capitalised on youth in terms of knowledge and innovation, and I want to see more engagement in decision making,” he said.

The documentary takes viewers across Tanzania’s scenic landscapes and modern infrastructure, including the Tanzanite Bridge, standard gauge railway (SGR), highways, ports, and Zanzibar’s blue economy initiatives. It also highlights clean energy and sustainable development projects.

Government leaders featured in the film linked policies to progress. President Hussein Mwinyi spoke about Zanzibar’s ambition to become a leading tourism hub.

Minister of Minerals Anthony Mavunde underlined mining potential, while the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Pindi Chana, showcased cultural and natural assets. The Minister for Planning and Investment, Prof Kitila Mkumbo, explained how infrastructure attracts capital, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr Doto Biteko, highlighted clean energy initiatives.

According to Penresa, the project is a celebration of vision, partnership, and storytelling, positioning Tanzania as a nation of untapped potential. The producers also announced a Forbes Africa Tanzania Special Edition to further highlight opportunities.

CNBC Africa will rebroadcast Tanzania The African Dream on Friday, October 10, and Saturday, October 11, giving viewers across the continent another chance to experience Tanzania’s growth story. .

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s ambition to transition from lower-middle-income to upper-middle-income status will depend not only on government-led strategies but also on the strength of partnerships that enhance community resilience and unlock people’s potential.

Among the organisations walking alongside the country on this journey is Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), a faith-based humanitarian and development agency that has been part of Tanzania’s story since the 1960s. In her first 100 days as Secretary General of NCA, Anne-Cecilia Kaltenborn chose Tanzania for her first board field visit, underscoring the country’s importance to the organisation’s global strategy.

For her, resilience is the thread tying together livelihoods, health, gender equality, peace, and the environment. “Building a resilient society is kind of the basis for everything,” Kaltenborn said in an interview with The Citizen.

“It’s important for women, youth, and men. And since about 80 percent of the workforce is in agriculture, making this sector more climate-smart and productive will directly support Tanzania’s middle-income ambition.

” Climate-smart agriculture Agriculture remains Tanzania’s economic backbone, employing the majority of its people and contributing around a quarter of GDP. Yet, it is also one of the sectors most vulnerable to climate change.

Erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and soil degradation threaten not just food security but also rural incomes. NCA has responded by investing in climate-smart agriculture, equipping smallholder farmers with tools to adapt.

In Mvomero, Morogoro, Kaltenborn observed farmers–especially women and youth–shifting to resilient practices such as improved irrigation, drought-resistant seeds, and soil conservation. “Incremental changes toward more climate-resilient agriculture in more and more places will have an effect,” she explained.

“It improves individual families’ lives, and at the same time strengthens the national economy.” The logic is simple: when farmers thrive, Tanzania thrives.

More productive farms mean more stable households, stronger local economies, and greater progress toward national income targets. Health as a foundation of growth While agriculture anchors livelihoods, health determines whether families can participate fully in development.

NCA’s support to Haydom Lutheran Hospital has led to transformative results, most notably a 75 percent reduction in maternal mortality within the first week after giving birth. The impact, Kaltenborn stressed, extends well beyond the hospital’s walls.

“When you can reduce maternal mortality by 75 percent, that makes a difference for the economy,” she said. “Children who lose their mothers have a much more difficult time in school and in life.

Health is also economy, and economy is also health.” This view reflects a broader reality: strong health systems are not just a social good but also a driver of economic resilience.

Families spared from preventable deaths are able to invest in education, build livelihoods, and break intergenerational cycles of poverty. Faith-based partnerships and peacebuilding One of NCA’s defining approaches is working through faith-based organisations, a strategy that taps into deep community trust.

Colton-Born argues that this method is not just about service delivery but also about preventing conflict. “If you have an armed conflict, the gross national product is set back 30 years — an entire generation,” she said.

“Working with churches and mosques ensures dialogue and peace. Dialogue always has results because it creates trust, and trust reduces the willingness for conflict.

” In Mvomero, she witnessed a simple yet powerful moment: Christian and Muslim leaders arriving at a meeting on the same motorcycle. For her, this symbolised the potential of interfaith collaboration to foster unity in a region where diversity is often exploited for division elsewhere.

Gender equality and social transformation Tanzania’s progress toward middle-income prosperity cannot be divorced from the empowerment of women. NCA has made gender justice central to its work, particularly in tackling gender-based violence (GBV).

Through partnerships with religious leaders, NCA has helped shift community attitudes dramatically–from 34 percent to 75 percent zero tolerance for GBV in certain areas. “That is a fabulous result,” Kaltenborn noted.

“And we must never underestimate the effect of women being part of the workforce and having their own economy. It reduces violence and strengthens families.

” She also pointed to ongoing debates around Tanzania’s Marriage Act, which still permits girl-child marriage under certain circumstances. For her, this is an example of where dialogue with faith leaders can drive meaningful legal and cultural change.

Linking environment and jobs Beyond farming and health, NCA is exploring solutions to the growing challenge of waste and environmental degradation. Its ‘Waste for Value’ initiative connects plastic collectors with recycling companies, creating a circular economy that turns trash into livelihoods.

“We were able to see how this project benefits 10,000 households and 20,000 smallholder farmers,” Kaltenborn said. “It creates jobs, protects the environment, and shows how development aid translates into concrete results.

” This approach resonates with Tanzania’s own industrialisation agenda, which seeks to expand manufacturing while safeguarding natural resources. Aid, responsibility, and local ownership With global aid budgets under pressure, questions often arise about whether foreign assistance makes governments complacent.

Kaltenborn acknowledged the tension but emphasised that aid should reinforce, not replace, national responsibility. “It doesn’t have to make governments complacent.

It’s about empowering the partners who want to make a change,” she explained. Despite cutbacks in parts of Europe and the US, she pointed out that 85 percent of Norwegians continue to support development aid, providing NCA with stability.

“We are in it for the long run,” she affirmed. Trade unions as untapped partners Drawing on her background in Norway’s employer’s union, Ms Kaltenborn argued that Tanzanian unions could play a bigger role in development.

In her view, unions are not just about wages and working conditions; they can mobilise communities, spread awareness, and complement humanitarian efforts. This perspective mirrors Norway’s own tradition of dialogue between unions, employers, and government–a model that has underpinned its social and economic resilience.

A holistic web of resilience From farmers adopting new methods in Morogoro, to women accessing safe childbirth in Haydom, to faith leaders riding together in Mvomero, NCA’s work demonstrates the interwoven nature of development. Each initiative may address a specific issue, but together they form a broader ecosystem of resilience.

“Everything is related to everything,” Kaltenborn reflected. “Health is related to the economy.

Women’s participation is related to violence reduction. Dialogue is related to peace and investment.

When you put these pieces together, you get a good spiral of development.” As Tanzania edges closer to its middle-income aspirations, the challenge will be to ensure growth is inclusive and sustainable.

Development partners like NCA bring not only funding but also models of collaboration–working with faith groups, empowering women, engaging youth, and protecting the environment. The organisation’s long history in Tanzania, coupled with Norway’s enduring commitment to aid, suggests that this partnership will continue to play a meaningful role.

For Kaltenborn, the goal is clear: resilient communities that can withstand shocks, seize opportunities, and chart their own future. “Resilience is not just about surviving,” she concluded.

“It’s about thriving.” .

Kilimanjaro. Tanzania heads to the polls on October 29, and despite political tensions during the campaign period, analysts predict a strong voter turnout driven by structural, historical and social factors.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), more than 37.6 million Tanzanians have registered to vote, marking a 26 percent rise from the 2020 election. Analysts say this surge signals growing public interest, especially as most of the voter base is rural.

Over 60 percent of Tanzanians live in villages and peri-urban communities, where voting has traditionally been high. For many, the act of voting goes beyond choosing leaders; it is seen as an affirmation of belonging and recognition in national affairs.

University of Dar es Salaam political analyst Salbinus David noted that while campaign frictions have surfaced, they are unlikely to reduce turnout. “Moments of disagreement and logistical concerns are not unusual in any competitive democracy,” he said.

“What matters is citizens’ readiness to exercise their right to vote, and the data suggests that readiness is very high, especially outside major cities.” INEC reports show that new voter registration far exceeded expectations.

The commission initially targeted 5.58 million new voters but enrolled more than 7.

64 million, 136 percent of the target. Analysts attribute this to civic education campaigns, improved registration access, and rising interest among young and first-time voters.

State University of Zanzibar political scientist Prof Makame Ali Ussi stressed that new voters are spread across the country. “This is not driven by one region but a nationwide mobilisation,” he said.

“Given the structure of political competition, where many councillors and MPs come from the very communities they represent, rural and peri-urban voters have strong incentives to turn up.” He added that elections in Tanzania are as much local events as national ones, since candidates are often embedded in their communities.

“This closeness creates a unique sense of accountability and recognition, which drives higher turnout,” Prof Ussi explained. Women are also expected to play a major role.

INEC data shows that 50.31 percent of registered voters are women, compared to 49.69 percent men. Analysts say this rare gender balance highlights increasing female engagement in politics, driven by grassroots mobilisation to overcome barriers of information and transport.

Still, analysts caution against equating high registration with guaranteed participation. Political fatigue, broken promises, and logistical hurdles could affect turnout on election day.

But experts agree that Tanzania’s electoral culture, particularly in rural areas, has consistently proven resilient. Peace and stability remain at the heart of the national conversation.

Prof Ussi warned, however, that the language of peace should not be used to silence debate. “In a democracy, peace means resolving differences through ballots, not conflict,” he said.

Mr David added that the credibility of institutions will be critical. “As long as citizens believe the process is fair, their vote respected, and their voices heard, they will turn out in large numbers,” he said.

Digital platforms are also shaping the political narrative, especially in cities. But University of Dar es Salaam lecturer Sylvester Kweka warned against overstating their influence.

“Social media reflects a narrow, urban demographic,” he said. “In rural areas, where most Tanzanians live, politics is still conducted face-to-face.

People know their candidates personally and engage directly, and that is what resonates with them.” He cautioned political parties not to rely too heavily on online campaigns.

“Social media can amplify voices, but without strong grassroots mobilisation it risks becoming an echo chamber,” he said. With weeks remaining, the 2025 election is shaping up as a test of Tanzania’s democratic maturity.

Rising voter registration, gender balance, and strong civic culture suggest that turnout could be one of the defining features of the polls. .

By Deus Bugaywa The turquoise waters of Kizimkazi, a historic fishing village on Zanzibar’s southern coast, seem an unlikely cradle for a president. Yet it was here, amidst the rhythms of island life, that Tanzania’s first female Head of State, Samia Suluhu Hassan, was born on January 27, 1960. Tanzania has often defied expectations when it comes to the origins of its leaders, who tend to emerge from unexpected places.

Kizimkazi, modest as it was, would play host to God’s larger plan for Tanzania’s history: producing a leader from a humble background, as was the case with her predecessors. Samia’s journey from this small coastal community to the pinnacle of power in one of Africa’s most significant nations is a story of quiet determination, shattered glass ceilings and the navigation of profound national transition.

Born when Zanzibar was still a sultanate that united with Tanganyika four years later to form Tanzania, her upbringing instilled the values of education and hard work. Her intellect shone early in local schools, setting her on a path beyond the shores of her village.

Her education spanned primary schools in Chwaka (Unguja), Ziwani (Pemba), and Mahonda (Unguja) between 1966 and 1972. She later attended Ng’ambo Secondary School (19731975) and Lumumba Secondary School (1976). After finishing high school in 1977, she joined the civil service as a clerk in the Ministry of Planning and Development, grounding herself in governance from the outset.

Determined to advance, she balanced work and study, earning a Diploma in Public Administration from the Institute of Development Management (IDM) Mzumbe (19831986), followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics from the University of Manchester in 1994. In 2015, she capped her academic journey with an MSc in Community Economic Development through a joint programme between the Open University of Tanzania and Southern New Hampshire University, underscoring a lifelong commitment to learning. Her political career began in 2000 when she joined the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

That same year she was elected to the Zanzibar House of Representatives through Special Seats and appointed Minister for Youth Employment, Women and Children Development by President Amani Abeid Karume, making her the only woman to hold a senior cabinet post at the time. This trailblazing pattern of being the “first woman” would define her career.

Re-elected in 2005, she became Zanzibar’s Minister for Tourism, Trade and Investment, serving until 2010. Her influence expanded when President Jakaya Kikwete appointed her as Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office (Union Matters), a position she held until 2015. In 2014, she was elected Vice-Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly charged with drafting Tanzania’s new constitution, where her consensus-building skills came to the fore. Her national profile rose dramatically in 2015 when CCM presidential candidate John Magufuli selected her as his running mate–the first woman in the party’s history to hold that position.

Their landslide victory made her the country’s first female Vice-President. While Magufuli rarely travelled abroad, Samia became the face of Tanzania on the international stage.

She was re-nominated in 2020, and following another landslide win, began a second term. Fate intervened in March 2021. On the 17th, she announced to the nation the sudden death of President Magufuli.

Two days later, she was sworn in as the sixth President of the United Republic of Tanzania and the country’s first female Head of State. She inherited a complex situation: a nation grappling with Covid-19, strained civic freedoms, and economic uncertainty.

President Samia immediately marked a change in leadership style. Her “quiet diplomacy” emphasised reconciliation, reforms, resilience, and rebuilding–the 4Rs.

She established a scientific task force to guide the Covid-19 response, promoted testing, and was publicly vaccinated. She lifted bans on media outlets, reinstated rights previously curtailed, and overturned the controversial policy barring pregnant schoolgirls from education.

Her authority within CCM was cemented when the party’s National Executive Committee elected her as Chairperson, making her the first woman to lead one of Africa’s oldest and most powerful political movements. From the clerk’s desk in Zanzibar to the highest office in the land, Samia Suluhu Hassan’s rise has been marked by persistence and quiet transformation.

She now governs a nation at a crossroads, balancing reform with political realities, reopening Tanzania to the world while tackling long-standing domestic challenges. The girl from Kizimkazi stands as a symbol of possibility, an embodiment of leadership forged in humility, shaped by resilience, and directed towards change.

Her story is far from over, but its foundations, rooted in the sandy shores of Zanzibar, remain a testament to what determination and vision can achieve. Deus Bugaywa is a political analyst based in Dar es Salaam.

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Dar es Salaam. Uncertainty regarding access to the US market is growing among some African countries, including Tanzania, as a trade preference programme expired without renewal yesterday.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), introduced in 2000, provides over 1,800 products from Sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the US market. Currently, 32 countries are eligible for this preferential treatment under AGOA, of which 21, classified as “lesser developed countries” by the US, also receive special textile and apparel preferential treatment.

Tanzania, being one of the beneficiary countries, is hopeful for the renewal of the trade pact to enable local industries to continue exporting to the US. Dr.

Hashil Abdallah, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, stated that the government is now relying on regional blocs, such as the East African Community (EAC), to urge the US Congress to extend the deal. “If the programme is not renewed, many local industries and businesses could face significant setbacks,” he said, adding that some Tanzanian companies are already benefiting from AGOA.

“If it ends, they could lose access to the US market and encounter serious business challenges.” AGOA allows over 1,800 products, including garments, agricultural goods, and minerals, to enter the US market without tariffs.

In 2023, US imports under AGOA were valued at nearly $10 billion, according to US statistics. “Through regional blocs, we are requesting and urging Congress to extend this law so that we can continue trading in the US without affecting businesses and industries that have found markets for their products,” Dr Abdallah added.

Independent economist Oscar Mkude expressed concerns about the clarity of AGOA’s future. Although negotiations had begun earlier, US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies disrupted progress, leaving a clear framework for renewal uncertain.

“It’s possible, but not very likely,” Mr Mkude said. “We may have to continue trading with the US under normal market conditions, which include higher tariffs.

” According to him, Tanzania’s key exports under AGOA in 2023 included gold ($51.1 million), agricultural products ($28 million), and garments ($11 million). “Still, total exports to the US make up only 1.

86 percent of Tanzania’s overall exports, amounting to about $210 million out of over $10 billion to the rest of the world,” he noted. Dr Abel Kinyondo, a Senior Lecturer at the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), emphasised the critical importance of understanding the country’s production capabilities to drive sustainable economic growth.

He pointed out that increasing the country’s capacity for value addition is essential. “Signing multiple trade agreements, including AGOA, holds little significance if we do not have competitive products or services to offer in exchange,” Dr Kinyondo explained.

He stressed that without enhancing domestic production and improving value addition, such agreements cannot fully benefit the country’s economy. He further highlighted the need for strategic investments in local industries and innovation to boost Tanzania’s export potential and ensure meaningful participation in global markets.

The expiration of AGOA would make it more expensive and challenging for African goods, especially textiles and garments, to compete in the US market. Countries like Kenya and Madagascar would face steep increases in tariffs.

For instance, Kenya’s average tariff on exports to the US would nearly triple from 10 percent to 28 percent, while Madagascar’s would double to 23 percent. AGOA has not only aided African exporters but also benefited US companies by providing access to cheaper raw materials and encouraging American investment in Africa.

The trade deal has supported job creation, improved supply chains, and strengthened economic ties between the US and Africa. On March 30, President Samia Suluhu Hassan urged then-US Vice President Kamala Harris to consider extending AGOA to provide African countries with greater opportunities for trade expansion.

“African nations, including Tanzania, are requesting that this agreement be extended for 10 years to assure sustainability for investors conducting business here,” said President Hassan. .

Liverpool. Prime Minister Keir Starmer appealed directly to working-class voters on Tuesday, calling on Labour’s traditional supporters to reject the “snake oil” peddled by the populist Reform UK party and back his vision of “a Britain built for all”.

In the most passionate defence of his premiership since he won a landslide election in July last year, Starmer called for unity, attacking Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage and his Reform party for only being interested in fomenting division. Under threat from Reform on the right and a nascent leftist party under his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, Starmer called on voters to be patient with his Labour government, which he said was taking its first steps along the path to “renew Britain”.

And he appealed directly to Britain’s working people, saying he understood their frustrations of being “patronised” by politicians, referring to his late father feeling disrespected for having a manual job rather than a university education – something he pledged to change by promoting technical colleges. Starmer calls for fight for ‘soul’ of Britain “No matter how many people tell me it can’t be done, I believe Britain can come together,” he told his party’s second annual conference in the northern English city of Liverpool since winning power last year.

“We can all see our country faces a choice, a defining choice. Britain stands at a fork in the road.

We can choose decency, or we can choose division. Renewal or decline,” he said in a challenge to increasingly restive lawmakers who question his leadership after falling behind Reform in the polls.

In a nod to the difficulties he has faced in the first year of his premiership with his personal poll ratings the worst for a British leader since at least 1977, Starmer again committed to raising living standards and putting money in voters’ pockets. But he also sought to convince them that Labour is the true patriotic party rather than Reform, with officials handing out Britain’s flags to the audience, who waved them during several standing ovations.

“For me, patriotism is about love and pride, about serving an interest that is more than yourself, a common good,” he said. “And the question I ask seriously of Nigel Farage and Reform is, do they love our country or do they just want to stir the pot of division, because that’s worked in their interests?” He repeated that his government would tackle the high rates of illegal immigration into Britain but would fight racism and those who “say or imply the people cannot be English or British because of the colour of their skin”.

That focus on fighting Farage was welcomed by many in the packed conference hall. “Farage doesn’t care about normal people, and it was important we get that message out,” said Shabaan Saleem, a 21-year-old Labour councillor.

But Farage said the accusations of racism had put its supporters in danger. “To accuse countless millions of being racist is a very, very low blow,” he said.

“It directly threatens the safety of our elected officials and our campaigners.” Starmer faces difficult tax and spending decisions Starmer faces some difficult decisions.

After saying that last year’s tax rises – the biggest in more than 30 years – were a one-off in terms of scale, the government might be forced to again raise tens of billions of pounds in taxes to cover a forecast fiscal shortfall. Finance minister Rachel Reeves used her speech at conference to warn those in the party who want her to ease her fiscal rules to spend more on the nation’s ailing economy that they were “wrong, dangerously so”, keeping the door open to tax rises.

And Starmer warned the party that it might face uncomfortable choices. “It is a test.

A fight for the soul of our country, every bit as big as rebuilding Britain after the war, and we must all rise to this challenge,” Starmer said. “And yet we need to be clear that our path, the path of renewal, it’s long, it’s difficult, it requires decisions that are not cost-free or easy.

Decisions – that will not always be comfortable for our party.” .

Moscow. Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia was also working to strengthen its armed forces when asked about U.

S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remark that the U.

S. must prepare for war to ensure peace.

“We also prefer to strengthen our armed forces in every possible way, remaining full supporters of peace and remaining open to solving all problems, including the Ukrainian crisis, through diplomatic negotiations and political contacts,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Asked about an Axios interview, opens new tab in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Kyiv was prepared to say that it would only seek to regain its territory through diplomatic means in the future, Peskov said there was a pause in the negotiation process.

He said Kyiv, which has accused Moscow of making unreasonable demands tantamount to surrender, appeared to be in no hurry to resume talks. .