Prime minister insists he offers more than ‘doom and gloom’ in an interview with the Observer, but admits that leaks and squabbles are damaging the Downing Street operation

• Labour heads to conference in a spin
• Interview: Starmer defends his record

Keir Starmer today pledges to defend public services from further austerity and protect working people from tax rises as he battles to stem a disastrous collapse in his party’s popularity ratings since the general election.

In an exclusive interview with the Observer before his first Labour conference as prime minister, Starmer moves to counter an impression of enduring “gloom and doom” and instead reassure increasingly restive Labour delegates heading this weekend to Liverpool that better times are around the corner.