Labour Party Conference 2026 - Day 4 Wednesday

The final day of Conference started at 9.30am, so there was no opportunity for a run along the Mersey. Instead, it was the usual routine of in-room exercises, packing, breakfast, checking out of the hotel, dropping off luggage, and then rushing to get to Conference in time for the start of proceedings.

There were more excellent debates and contributions from delegates throughout the morning. It was also great to see Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the close of Conference, while we all joined together to sing, rather badly in my case, The Red Flag by Jim Connell and the wonderful Jerusalem, based on the words of William Blake.

There is usually a good-natured debate about which song better captures Labour's values: Blake's vision of building a better society through hope, endeavour and national renewal, or Connell's explicitly socialist anthem celebrating solidarity and collective struggle. Personally, I enjoy both and don't see the need to choose between them in this day and age.

After Conference closed, I walked to Lime Street Station and was fortunate enough to find a seat with a table all the way back to Euston, giving me an opportunity to reflect on what had been a busy but positive few days.

Overall, I thought Conference had a noticeably more positive atmosphere than last year. There were good debates, strong contributions from UNISON Labour Link delegates, and a sense of purpose about the challenges facing the country and the Labour Government. It was an enjoyable and worthwhile Conference, as well as an excellent opportunity to catch up with comrades from across the Labour and trade union movement.

Most importantly, Andy and his team did well. While there will undoubtedly be plenty of arguments and challenges ahead, I left Conference more confident than when I arrived that Labour can govern well and deliver the change that people need.

Labour Party Conference 2026 - Day 3 Tuesday

 

Day Three started with another run along the Mersey. As I passed the Liver Building, I found myself looking up at the famous Liver Birds, which I could just about make out from my bedroom in Holywell as a boy on a particularly clear day.

Conference went well again, with a number of UNISON Labour Link delegates speaking in debates on motions and contributing to fringe meetings. However, the key event of the day was undoubtedly the Leader's speech.

Conference business finished early for lunch, but delegates had to return well before 2pm to queue for entry into the hall for the speeches by the Prime Minister and Andy Burnham.

I will leave detailed analysis of the speech to others, but I will simply say that it was probably the best leader's speech I have ever seen at a Labour Party Conference, and I have seen a great many over the years.

There was, understandably, a great deal of emotion when he spoke about the recent death of his father. At other times he was passionate, determined and angry about "the state we are in", while also offering a sense of hope that things can, and will, get better.

He has picked a number of fights with vested interests and, in each case, I find myself firmly on his side. Whether one agrees with every detail or not, it was a speech that demonstrated both political courage and conviction. I believe he can deliver on his ambitions, but it is going to be seriously difficult.

In the evening I attended the UNISON Labour Link reception, where there were a number of excellent speakers, including our very own, Angela Rayner MP and Joe Fortune, Labour's General Secretary.

Another memorable day at Conference.

Labour Party Conference 2026 - Day 2 Monday

 

Day Two of Conference started early with a 34-minute run along the Mersey and back. The weather was glorious, with blue skies and sunshine, a welcome contrast to the previous day's soaking.

Conference began at 10am, although we first had an early "huddle" of UNISON Labour Link delegates to agree the late-night decisions on compositing motions and discuss other pressing Conference business.

Once again, Conference appeared to go well. During the lunch break, I joined other Labour Link delegates in supporting a rally on migrant workers' rights. It was encouraging to see strong support for the contribution migrant workers make to our economy, public services and communities.

After the close of business, I met up with Labour Party members from Newham for a drink outside the historic dockers' pub, The Baltic Fleet. I then had to leave for the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum fringe meeting, Are We Ready for Climate Change? Protecting People, Places and Prosperity, held in partnership with the Fabian Society. I will post my speech from the event as a separate page linked to this post later. Many thanks to my fellow panellists and everyone who attended.

Afterwards, I rejoined Newham Labour members for a meal at a Turkish restaurant in Liverpool. I think this is now the third Conference in a row that we've visited it, which perhaps makes it something of a tradition.

Another good day at Conference. The formal debates, fringe meetings and informal conversations all reminded me that Conference is as much about relationships and shared purpose as it is about resolutions and speeches.

Labour Party Conference 2026 - Day 1 Sunday

 

Apologies for the belated posting.

The first full day of conference began for me at 9am with an in-person UNISON Labour Link delegation meeting. At this meeting we agreed our speakers, discussed our positions on motions, and dealt with a range of housekeeping issues. UNISON has one of the largest delegations at Conference, so these meetings are an important part of ensuring that our contribution is coordinated and effective.

Conference itself started at 11am. We were seated as a delegation on the far left of the conference floor facing the podium (no pun intended!).

As is customary, there was a report from the Conference Arrangements Committee, along with a number of reference back requests from delegates who were unhappy with how their motions had been dealt with. Compared with previous conferences, however, proceedings seemed to be relatively straightforward and attracted far less controversy than I have seen in the past.

Labour Party Conference remains, in my view, even more complicated and bewildering than a UNISON conference, and many first-time delegates to UNISON find those challenging enough. Nevertheless, there was a good mix of party business, government and party leadership speeches, and floor debates. Overall, the day appeared to run smoothly. Unlike a trade union conference, Labour Conference combines party democracy, government business, policy development and internal party procedure, making it a unique and sometimes bewildering experience for delegates

What struck me most was the atmosphere. There was definitely a more positive feeling around Conference than there was last year. While there will always be disagreements and procedural arguments, there seemed to be a greater sense of confidence and purpose among delegates.

After the close of business, I attended the Labour-affiliated trade union rally with my Newham CWU comrade and cycling champion, Richard. I then had to leave early for a walk along the Mersey to attend a private event with fellow Labour housing leads, getting thoroughly soaked in the process thanks to the Liverpool weather. As someone born and brought up not far away in North East Wales this should have come as no surprise but I had still forgotten to take an umbrella. 

My final event of the day was the Labour Friends of Bangladesh dinner, one of my favourite Conference events. Although I arrived rather late, it was still a pleasure to attend.

All in all, it was a good start to Conference.