Labour Party Conference 2026
It was fantastic to welcome Labour Party Conference back to Liverpool and to see our city once again take centre stage in the national political conversation.
Liverpool Riverside knows how to put on a show, and this year was no exception. From our hotels and conference venues to our restaurants, pubs, shops and local businesses, thousands of people across our city worked tirelessly to give Labour members from every corner of the country a warm Scouse welcome.
I am incredibly proud to represent Liverpool Riverside. But moments like Conference make me even prouder of our city. Liverpool was on display at its very best: showcasing our culture, our communities and our unique sense of solidarity, while reminding visitors exactly why this is the greatest city in the world.
My Conference Events
Big Brother Watch: Right to Protest (Speaking)
Matthew Pennycook MP (Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) and CLT Liverpool Members – L8 Florrie (Meeting)
Viva La Solidaridad Fringe (Speaking)
Justice for Palestine: Confronting Genocide & Ending Apartheid Fringe (Speaking)
Morning Star: Defeating the Far Fight, 1936-2026 (Speaking)
Social Brokers Report Launch (Meeting)
RMT/UNISON/PCS Fringe on Insourcing (Chairing)
UNISON Migrant Workers Rally (Speaking)
State Lies and Cover-Ups: The Demand for a Duty of Candour (Chairing)
Justice For Colombia – Congressman Gabriel Becerra (Meeting)
Northern Health Alliance Roundtable (Speaking)
Made on the High St – Supporting Independent Businesses (Speaking)
Socialist Campaign Group Fringe (Speaking)
Trade Union Co-ordinating Group – Tackling the Cost-of-Living Crisis Event (Speaking)
A Different Atmosphere
There was a noticeably different feeling around conference this year.
For the first time in a long time, I sensed something that has been missing from our politics: optimism.
Andy Burnham's message of "Hope Again" clearly resonated with many people. It reflected a growing sense that the public is tired of politics as usual, tired of short-term fixes and tired of being told that meaningful change must always wait for another day.
But hope cannot simply be a slogan. It has to translate into real improvements in people's lives.
Conference felt markedly different from those we experienced under the previous leadership. There was more space for debate, a greater willingness to listen and, importantly, an opportunity for those of us on the Labour left to make our arguments without being marginalised.
However, we should not kid ourselves that longstanding problems have disappeared overnight. If Labour is serious about rebuilding itself as a genuine broad church, then that pluralism must be reflected in how the party operates as well as how it describes itself. Unity cannot simply be a message delivered from the conference platform. It must be embedded throughout the party.
Delivering Real Change
The challenge facing Labour goes beyond internal party reform.
If we are serious about ending forty years of failed neoliberal economics, we must be equally serious about the alternative. A Labour government should be delivering decent jobs, properly funded public services, secure and affordable housing, dignity in retirement and an economy that works for working people rather than the wealthiest few.
There were some encouraging signs during conference.
One of the most significant was the decision to restore the Union Learning Fund. This was a highly successful programme that enabled workers to gain new skills and qualifications through their trade unions before it was scrapped by the Conservatives in 2021.
Its restoration is about far more than correcting a previous mistake. It recognises the central role that trade unions can play in developing skills, expanding opportunities and giving working people greater control over their futures.
That is the kind of Labour politics I want to see: practical, ambitious and rooted firmly in the interests of working-class communities.
The Budget Will Be the Real Test
Conference felt like an important step forward, but the hard work starts now.
The coming months will reveal whether words are matched by action. The Budget will shape the future of our NHS and social care system while also signalling the choices we make on inequality, welfare and workers' rights.
On social care, my position remains unchanged: you cannot fix the NHS without fixing social care, and you cannot fix social care while undervaluing and underpaying the workforce that keeps the system running.
We need a care system based on need, not wealth. Nobody's access to care should depend on the size of their bank account or whether they own their home. Delivering that principle would be genuinely transformative.
Protecting Pensioners from Poverty
I also remain concerned about the future of the State Pension Triple Lock following the Prime Minister's announcement that it will be brought to an end in 2030.
According to Age UK, between 1.7 and 2.1 million older people are living in poverty, while more than 3.4 million report struggling financially. Nearly half of those facing financial hardship have been doing so for three years or more.
We must protect pensioners from poverty while also confronting the wider inequalities that exist across generations and communities. The answer cannot be to pit one group against another.
This is an issue that I will continue to raise in Parliament, advocating for a fair and sustainable approach that protects older people from hardship while addressing the root causes of inequality across society.
Hope Must Be Delivered
Ultimately, Andy Burnham's Conference speech captured something important: there is a growing appetite for change and a real opportunity to deliver it.
As I said after his speech:
"A clear sense of what's needed right now – and a recognition that there's much more work to do. 'Hope Again' rings true. Now comes the hard work of delivering it sooner rather than later."
That is the challenge facing Labour in the months ahead.
The Budget must be bold. Our NHS cannot wait. Social care cannot wait. Working people cannot wait. And neither can we.