Starmer shouldn't give a conference speech – he should give an Apple-style keynote

The format is tired and it is time to think different.

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In TV, it’s taken as a given that eventually even the most successful formats will begin to feel tired.

Think about how back in the day, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and Big Brother dominated the cultural zeitgeist and were watched by tens of millions of people. But over the years interest in both has dwindled – and not just because the prize money on the former could barely buy you a semi-detached house in London today.

However, there is something a smart producer can do to liven up a dying show: they can change the format. They can add a new lifeline, or introduce a housemate. Or how about a celebrity special? The important thing is just to try something new to reignite the interest of the general public.

This brings me to Labour Party Conference.

In just over a month’s time, Keir Starmer will once again take to the stage at the ACC in Liverpool to deliver a speech designed to capture the nation’s attention and drive his government’s agenda.

Traditionally, this has always been a big moment for a party leader. It’s a rare opportunity for the leader to speak at length to the country, without a hectoring journalist trying to cut them off. And it’s seen as a moment to set a narrative that will carry the government for the next year.

But in reality, outside of Westminster, the impact is likely to be limited. Conference polling bounces aren’t as reliable as they once were, because both politics and attention are so fragmented. And even if it turns out Barack Obama himself has been personally training Keir Starmer in the art of public speaking, it is unlikely that the speech will close the gap with Reform.

In any case, the speech itself will probably be seen in full by – at most – a million retired people watching Politics Live. And if the government is lucky, maybe a few million more will see brief clips either on the news or on social media.

But ultimately, even if people watch, it will still be the same old thing: a boring politician, standing behind a lectern. And this will be despite two decades of dramatic change in how we engage with the news, how the media is structured, and how our attention is captured.

In other words, it is obvious now that the format has grown stale, and it is time to reinvent it.

And don’t get me wrong, I’m not just doing theatre criticism here. It’s because a traditional speech no longer serves a strategic purpose.

The fundamental challenge for Labour from a communications perspective is how to reach people who are disengaged, who would never seek out political content, and persuade them to like Keir Starmer.

In other words, the goal of the speech should not be to capture newspaper headlines. It should be to go viral. And to do this, it requires switching up the format – and trying something new.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting that Starmer should do away with the speech and instead make a video of himself trying unusual American snacks, performing TikTok dances or compiling a tier-list of his favourite cabinet ministers.

But I do think there is a model for a presentation that works better in the modern era. It’s time for Labour to learn from Apple.

The Apple upgrade

Every September, just before party conference season kicks off, Apple holds a major “keynote” event to announce a new iPhone.