Labour Party

At Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, Chancellor John Healey pledged fiscal discipline while supporting jobs and growth. He announced a local apprenticeship service, £6bn of shipyard contracts and a focus on finding work for almost 1 million young people not in education, employment or training.

At Labour's annual conference in Liverpool, Prime Minister Andy Burnham defended the union, said Brexit had done more harm than good and set out policies including a National Care Service, cost-of-living measures and global AI regulation. Ministers said his emotional speech persuaded them and marked a more united government.

Ministers are considering major welfare reforms, including replacing or restricting disability benefits for under-25s with expanded employment support. The plans await two reviews; a thinktank says condition-based exclusions would not deliver major savings and calls for a wider PIP overhaul.

Shabana Mahmood signalled she may water down proposed reforms that would make some foreign care workers wait 15 years before applying for permanent residence. No final decision has been made, as opposition from Angela Rayner and unions grows.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the next UK general election will be held in 2029 and rejected an early contest. The article adds that advisers had debated the timing and that his government faces a budget and broader economic test while pursuing promised reforms.