Labour Party Conference: A Moral Crusade

Insight

The Labour party has a new favourite totem. The appeals to the Attlee government were about the same as ever; the Blair worship was dialled down significantly on last year. But this year’s conference was, perhaps unsurprisingly, in thrall to a professional northerner who transformed the country.

Delegates were at times barely visible through the clouds of Harold Wilson’s cigar smoke which hung over proceedings. He is seen by the party faithful as a (four time) election winner who modernised the country during a transformative decade and therefore a clear inspiration for the current Government. Case in point: the reforms to education and training reaffirmed over the last few days, which have a clear antecedent in the comprehensive education system and the Open University introduced in the 60s.

And the headlines – electoral reform, reshaping our relationship with Europe, and of course adjusting the triple lock – clearly have a similarly transformative aim, albeit perhaps even more ambitious. Andy Burnham promised a conference speech that would be ‘different’, and there is little doubt that he delivered it. Time after time he made statements which would once have been left on the cutting-room floor or damned by the Sir Humphrey-ish faint praise of “a brave idea, Prime Minister.”

Those close to Sir Keir said he was a different prospect behind closed doors, that he got angry, sad, passionate – all those things we so rarely saw in public. There can be little doubt that Andy Burnham is the same in Larry the Cat’s House in Westminster as he is down the Dog House in Kennington, his favourite pub in London: he really believes in what he says.

For the last ten years, the comment pages (and indeed comment sections) of the nation have cried out for someone to take the difficult decisions, to seize the nettles that must be grasped if the country is to work. Whatever his flaws, the Prime Minister can’t be accused of shirking these fights which he feels are necessary to fix our finances while caring for those who need it.

For many in Liverpool this was, at last, exactly the sort of principled, robust government they hoped for in July 2024. The mix of passion and substance, and genuine political thought, after a leader who “doesn’t do ideas”, went down well on the floor, and even seemed to translate into an improved atmosphere in the corporate enclosures, where ministers were – a novel idea, this – approachable and keen to engage in conversation rather than simply transmitting that they were ‘in listening mode’.

Our polling partners at Survation say they have never seen numbers like those in their overnight snap reaction poll: 55% positive reactions, only 23% negative. There’s still a long way to go to convince the nation, but Burnham is serious about starting those conversations about adjusting the triple lock and funding a National Care Service: he is touring broadcast studios today and likely won’t stop doing so for many years. Wilson was fond of saying that “The Labour party is a moral crusade, or it is nothing.” Andy Burnham clearly agrees; it remains to be seen if the electorate will.

Please see below for a summary of all policies announced or reaffirmed during Labour Party Conference.

Number 10

Publishing a 10-year plan for Britain later this year, centred on stronger public control of essential services, devolution and growth
Delivering the largest council housebuilding programme since the post-war period and making greater use of unused public land
Reforming Right to Buy so newly built council homes remain within the public housing stock
Giving councils stronger powers to bring empty and poor-quality privately rented homes into public ownership
Supporting first-time buyers through “Your First Home” and introducing a leasehold reform Bill before Christmas
Introducing a strengthened Water Bill, removing restrictions on public ownership and giving mayors greater powers over water companies
Creating Great British Grid as a publicly owned arm of Great British Energy to increase competition and accelerate grid connections
Seeking to bring UK energy costs into line with neighbouring countries within 10 years
Removing VAT from domestic electricity bills and maintaining a £2 cap on single bus fares in England throughout 2027
Establishing a National Care Service, free at the point of use, with implementation planned for the next Parliament
Maintaining the State Pension triple lock for the remainder of this Parliament before changing the system from April 2030, with savings directed towards the National Care Service
Ensuring low-income pensioners are not brought into income tax during this Parliament
Reforming education to give greater parity to academic and technical routes, including new pathways from age 14, work placements and apprenticeship opportunities
Reforming welfare around earlier investment and support, particularly for young people
Changing Government procurement to provide greater support for British industry and pursuing further reindustrialisation
Using Britain’s G20 presidency to promote work towards a global code for AI
Establishing a national commission on electoral reform and committing Labour’s next General Election manifesto to changing the electoral system
Pursuing further devolution across the UK while reaffirming the Government’s commitment to the Union
Setting out options for Britain’s long-term relationship with the EU around the forthcoming UK-EU summit

Cabinet Office

New Government procurement rules requiring businesses bidding for public contracts to support good jobs, skills and apprenticeships in Britain
Defence procurement to prioritise high-quality British jobs and opportunities
Private water and energy companies expected to use their procurement to support British manufacturing, unionised jobs, training and apprenticeships
More than 1,000 outsourced cleaning, catering and security jobs across Whitehall to be brought back inhouse as existing contracts end over the next 18 months
Establishment of a dedicated insourcing unit in the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to accelerate the insourcing of thousands more jobs across Whitehall
Strengthening the National Shipbuilding Office to oversee procurement of all civil ships across
Government and develop a long-term strategy supporting national requirements, national security and UK industry
Commissioning of a new state-of-the-art marine research vessel to be procured and built in UK shipyards
Deliberate deployment of AI across Government to modernise public services, build sovereign capabilities and support the UK technology sector
Revival of the “Total Place” approach, using Government AI expertise and deeper data sharing to integrate local public services, pool resources and shift public spending from crisis to prevention

HM Treasury

Fiscal discipline to remain at the core of the forthcoming Budget, including meeting the fiscal rules and controlling borrowing
Expansion of local apprenticeship services to every mayoral area
Additional £100m for local apprenticeship provision, funded through DWP savings
Delivery of thousands more apprenticeships targeted at young people and local firms
Additional £300m investment by Rolls-Royce in factories in Derby, Bristol, Glasgow and Rotherham
Use of the National Wealth Fund to create and support 130,000 jobs across the UK by 2030
Greater use of public procurement to support British businesses, jobs and innovation
£6bn of contracts for British shipyards to build docks for new submarines
Re-establishment of the Union Learning Fund with a new focus on helping workers adapt to and benefit from artificial intelligence
Commitment to partnership with business

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Continued UK support for Ukraine and resistance to Russian threats
A stronger, deeper partnership with the European Union across economics, defence and security, alongside continued commitment to the US alliance and NATO and greater European responsibility for defence
Continued economic sanctions against Iran, action against Iranian proxies and efforts to secure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz
UK leadership of international efforts to put climate change at the heart of national security
Use of the UK’s 2027 G20 presidency to lead international efforts to manage the risks posed by AI
Continued support for a two-state solution based on a secure Israel and a secure Palestine, with freedom, dignity and self-determination for both peoples
Ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements and action to disrupt British finance, construction and services supporting illegal settlements
Use of diplomatic and political tools to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan
Reform of the international financial system to better serve the developing world, using Britain’s World Bank role and 2027 G20 presidency to drive action on debt and development

Home Office

Opening applications in October 2026 for charities and non-profits to sponsor refugees through capped community and university student routes, with first arrivals expected in autumn 2027
Opening applications for sponsors through a further refugee work route in spring 2027
Reopening the UK resettlement route in partnership with the United Nations, with first arrivals expected in 2026 and around a quarter comprising Afghan women and girls fleeing Taliban persecution and Palestinians who have fled Gaza
Continuing action against criminal gangs and small boat crossings
Strengthening neighbourhood policing, following the addition of 3,800 officers, and placing specialist officers trained to investigate violence against women and girls in every police force in England and Wales
Launching the National Police Service focused on national and international crime and reviewing local police force structures
Introducing legislation announced in the King’s Speech in May to address the threat posed by young people drawn towards violence online

Ministry of Defence

Commitment to spend 3.5% of GDP on core defence by 2035
£500m investment in the UK Commando Force, including new drone technology
More than £1bn to upgrade British-made Typhoon aircraft
More than £8bn for development of a sixth-generation fighter jet with international partners
£1.3bn for new autonomous Royal Navy ships and underwater vessels
Renewal of the UK’s nuclear deterrent
Commitment to use defence spending to support reindustrialisation, skills and British jobs
£6bn nuclear submarine dock-building contract to remain in the UK
Continued long-term support for Ukraine and NATO
Continued emphasis on improved armed forces pay, housing, veterans’ support, morale and equipment

Department for Health and Social Care

Building a National Care Service alongside the NHS, informed by the Casey Commission on Social Care (reporting next year)
First ever national collective pension scheme for care sector workers
A social care workforce plan with career pathways, training, and thousands more academy places
First legally binding fair pay agreement for care workers, with minimum pay and conditions across all employers
A new champion for unpaid carers
New national maternity standards later this year, including on baby loss and post-pregnancy care
An independent maternity and neonatal commissioner
Sure Start health services restored in family hubs, reaching up to 1,000 hubs over two years
A public health approach to violence against women and girls
Almost £50m for specialist GP referral services for victims of domestic abuse
An ambition to eliminate cervical cancer and hepatitis C, and end new HIV transmissions
Delivery of the 10-Year Health Plan, including neighbourhood health teams and community-based care

Ministry of Justice

Specialist rape courts at every Crown Court in England and Wales
The largest prison building programme since the Victorian era
A new challenge to industry to deploy cutting-edge technology against drones in prisons
Action to end the injustice of IPP sentences
Prioritising visible unpaid work in community sentences, alongside tougher probation tools, including restriction zones
Strengthening the rehabilitative value of community payback through skills and routes into employment
A major expansion of incentivised drug-free living wings in prisons
Expanded prison skills programme, with new workshops and construction academies to support housebuilding
A single digital service to secure accommodation for people leaving prison
Halving the number of offenders released homeless on their first night out, supporting the ambition to end rough sleeping
Delivery of the Hillsborough Law
A personal pledge to uphold the independence of the judiciary

Department for Education

New vocational GCSEs alongside T levels and V levels, giving technical education parity with academic routes
New high-quality post-16 apprenticeships underpinned by national standards
Reform on school accountability measures to incentivise a broader curriculum offer
More practical assessment, oracy and work experience throughout schooling
Expanded access to enrichment activities, including music, debating, engineering and sport
Going further on the curriculum review to allow greater depth and richer experiences
SEND reform focused on early intervention, investment and inclusion
Establishment of a school support staff negotiating body
30 hours of free childcare from nine months and national rollout of free breakfast clubs
Tackling profiteering in children’s social care
Reversing the decline of further education and promoting the value of university
A collaborative, “self-improving” school system built on respect rather than competition

Department for Work and Pensions

Reform of the welfare system to put work and opportunity at its heart, while maintaining security and dignity for those who cannot work
£2.5bn investment through the Youth Guarantee in the coming years, including £3,000 for businesses giving a young person their first job
50,000 additional youth apprenticeship starts and 300,000 additional work experience places
Jobs Guarantee providing paid employment for the longterm young unemployed
Extension of the Jobs Guarantee to young disabled people after three months from April 2027, providing six months of guaranteed paid work at living wage rates alongside employment support
Pensions Commission to report next year on securing dignity in retirement for future pensioners
Further decisions on welfare reform following the Alan Milburn and Sir Stephen Timms reviews, focused on building a system centred on opportunity and improving people’s prospects

Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

Reindustrialising Britain through a modern industrial strategy linking the UK’s science, technology and innovation base with domestic manufacturing and production
Continued support for British steel
Continued support for UK automotive manufacturing, jobs and sites
Employment rights measures under the Employment Rights Act, including action on exploitative zero-hours contracts, workplace harassment and fire and rehire
Closing loopholes enabling bogus self-employment, giving up to 100,000 additional workers access to the National Minimum Wage and holiday pay

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Shifting further power from Whitehall to mayors, councils and local communities through the Government’s devolution agenda
Providing every rough sleeper with a route off the streets by Christmas
Making it easier for councils to bring long-term empty homes back into use and to buy social homes when providers seek to sell them
Allowing councils to refer homeless households to other social housing providers and introducing a new duty on public services to work together to prevent homelessness
Supporting first-time buyers through the Government’s “Your First Home” offer
Ending “fleecehold”, capping and then scrapping ground rents, and capping administration and permission fees for leaseholders
Supporting the regeneration and community ownership of vacant high street buildings, alongside further support for co-operative enterprises
Legislating for an independent regulator for estate agents, letting agents and property management agents, backed by a licensing regime

Department for Transport

Renationalisation of passenger rail services and establishment of Great British Railways to manage tracks and trains, alongside a new GBR app
Bringing Avanti into public ownership in March 2027, accompanied by a comprehensive passenger improvement plan
Renationalisation of Great Western Railway, CrossCountry and East Midlands Railway
Exploring direct public ownership of newly ordered trains where this would best serve taxpayers and passengers
Continued support for devolved transport decisions and locally led rail, tram, bus and mass transit improvements
£45bn backing for Northern Powerhouse Rail and a reset of HS2 based on realistic costs and schedules
Bringing buses back under public control through the Bus Services Act, maintaining the £2 bus fare cap and introducing 24/7 free bus travel for disabled people from 2027
Record investment in road maintenance and delivery of the first road safety strategy in over a decade
Investment in research and development to decarbonise aviation and maritime transport
Expansion approved or underway at London City Airport, Luton, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle and Gatwick, with consultation on plans at Heathrow

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Devolution of the Warm Homes Plan, giving mayors, local governments and communities the power to invest billions of pounds in home upgrades, estate renewal, skills, business and local supply chains
Great British Energy’s £1bn Local Power Plan to support councils, communities and residents to own and generate energy locally
Continued expansion of Great British Energy’s publicly owned clean energy activity
Rollout of small modular reactors through Great British Energy Nuclear
More clean homegrown energy and upgrades to homes, workplaces and transport to reduce exposure to fossil fuel price shocks
Support for workers across existing industries to ensure a fair transition to clean energy

Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport

Legislation intended to make it impossible for children to take, share or view nude images
A comprehensive social media ban for children
New action against abusive and non-consensual imagery
Commitment to ensure abusive online content is removed permanently
Continued implementation of the Youth Matters national youth strategy
Arts Everywhere Fund and increased investment in arts and culture
Music studios in libraries
Guaranteed cultural access for children in care
New sports pitches through the Every Child Can programme
Arts, sport, music, dance and drama returned to the heart of the curriculum
Funding and recruitment of 1,000 youth workers
Wider rebuilding of youth services

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Increased enforcement against waste crime, including more drones, an empowered National Crime Agency, asset seizures and making criminals pay for clean-up
Reform of the water system, with communities, mayors and local leaders helping determine investment priorities
Tighter rules against unfair and excessive water company bonuses and serious repercussions for repeated failure
Scrapping the ban on Government owning shares in water companies, enabling greater public control and alternative ownership models
£10m for the Good Food Neighbourhoods programme, initially supporting 45 communities through affordable fresh produce, community kitchens and pensioner lunch clubs
£65m emergency support for farmers following summer droughts and planning policy changes to enable on-farm reservoirs
A 25-year farming roadmap and work with the Farming and Food Partnership Board to improve productivity and profitability, starting with horticulture and poultry
£79m for nature restoration and climate adaptation, including £53m to plant half a million trees and £26m for local nature recovery, resilience and access to green spaces

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