This week’s political focus is on the Labour Party Conference, which began in Liverpool on Sunday and runs until 30th September. The conference provides the first major opportunity for Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his government to set out their political priorities, with the Autumn Budget just one month away and the government seeking to establish a clearer economic and industrial agenda. Today has seen speeches from Chancellor John Healey and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is due to address the conference later this afternoon.
Healey used his speech to pledge a “new age of industrialisation”, with the government committing £6bn to British shipyards and confirming that new submarine docks will be built in the UK. He also stressed the importance of fiscal discipline ahead of next month’s Budget, saying the government will remain within its fiscal rules and highlighting the more constrained financial position compared with the late 1990s. Healey also announced £100m for mayors to fund a new apprenticeships scheme, as part of efforts to help more young people into work. His speech highlighted the government’s focus on fiscal discipline, industrial investment and employment ahead of next month’s Budget.
Later today, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is due to address the conference and is expected to set out the government’s approach to asylum and migration. She is due to announce the reopening of the UK resettlement scheme, with priority given to vulnerable Afghan women and girls, Palestinian refugees with critical medical needs and victims of torture. Successful applicants will have a five-year path to permanent settlement through indefinite leave to remain. The announcement is expected to form part of the government’s approach of combining tighter controls on irregular migration with expanded legal routes for refugees.
The Prime Minister has already used the opening of the conference to announce a major long-term reform of social care. In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Burnham set out plans for a new NHS-style universal social care service in England, which he intends Labour to include in its next general election manifesto. He said the service would be free at the point of use and funded collectively, although the precise funding model has yet to be determined. Burnham acknowledged that the reform would be costly and complex to implement and that the public finances remain challenging. He is expected to provide further detail in his conference speech on Tuesday.
Beyond the Labour Conference, attention will turn towards the Green Party, which holds its conference in Brighton from 2nd to 4th October. The conference will take place less than a week before the 8th October Holborn and St Pancras by-election, making it an important opportunity for the Greens to reinforce their national political positioning while campaigning in the Labour-held seat.
The Conservatives will then hold their annual conference in Birmingham from 4th to 7th October. With the major party conferences taking place in quick succession, the coming week will see continued debate over Labour’s policy agenda and the opposition parties' position, particularly on the economy, immigration and public services.
Headlines
- Counter-terror police investigate Iran link over suspected bomb plot at RAF base used by US – The Guardian
- Shock energy price data risks Burnham ambitions to fix social care – The Independent
- Burnham to revive Help to Buy scheme in bid to aid first-time buyers – Financial Times
Consultations
- Google’s general search services: proposed user choice conduct requirement – published 23rd September
- Consultation on prohibiting third party betting on Powerball – published 23rd September
- Nutrient pollution – draft Norfolk Environmental Delivery Plan consultation – closes 27th October
Statistics
- Economic labour market status of individuals aged 50 and over, trends over time: September 2026 – published 24th September
- Divorces and dissolutions in England and Wales: 2024 and 2025 – published 23rd September
- Business insights and impact on the UK economy – published 24th September