Keir Starmer was battling for his future a week ago. After the retreat of his main Labour rival and his decision to take the gloves off against populist rival Nigel Farage, the U.K. prime minister¡¯s shored up his standing.

His party¡¯s annual conference in Liverpool had threatened to be a pressure cooker of discontent with the embattled premier. Instead, a barnstorming speech left his internal rivals humbled and the party unified behind him ¡ª for now.

Government ministers, members of Parliament and delegates assessed Starmer as being in a more comfortable place than he started going into the gathering of party faithful. While the danger to the premier is by no means gone ¡ª he faces a nightmarish budget in November, and tricky local elections in May next year ¡ª he managed to quiet speculation about his position.