Theresa May speech - live updates: Labour accuses dancing Conservative leader of 'pinching' ideas, after she declares end of austerity

Follow all the latest updates live from the Conservative Party conference

Theresa May declares 'austerity is over' after decade of cuts

Theresa May has declared "austerity is over" in her keynote address to the Conservative conference, where she also warns splits over Brexit risked derailing Britain's departure from the EU.

In what was one of the most important speeches of her political career, the prime minister borrowed Jeremy Corbyn's "for the many, not the few," slogan, declaring the Conservatives are a "party not for the few, not even the many, but for everyone who is willing to work hard and do their best."

The prime minister strutted onto the stage to Abba's Dancing Queen - to mock herself grooving on a recent trip to Africa - and also included a self-deprecating joke about last year's disastrous conference address.

Key Points

• Theresa May declares 'austerity is over' after eight years of cuts and tax increases
• PM vows to scrap council borrowing cap to fix 'broken housing market'
• May dances onto stage to Abba's Dancing Queen ahead of major conference speech
• Tory MP sends of letter of no confidence in the PM minutes before her address to activists
• DUP rules out concessions Theresa May hopes to offer the EU 

[3 October 2018 19:17 · Ashley Cowburn]

On May’s claim today that austerity is over, @BenChu_ says unless Hammond announces a reversal of planned welfare cuts, the PMs “words can be dismissed as political rhetoric, rather than economic or fiscal substance”. End of this month will be real test. independent.co.uk/news/business/… https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DommVkZXUAEK0jw.jpg

[3 October 2018 19:29 · Benjamin Kentish]

Only at Conservative conference do you almost end up doing “Angels” on karaoke with an Earl

[3 October 2018 19:39 · Benjamin Kentish]

Party conference season over. Who did most to boost their credentials?

[3 October 2018 20:19 · tompeck1000]

Have we had a "Who said it: Kanye or Corbyn" yet?

[3 October 2018 20:41 · Joe Watts]

Can Theresa May legitimately say that ‘austerity’ is over? independent.co.uk/news/business/…