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 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.

On way to Labour Party Conference 2026 & London Regional Reception (Saturday)

Sorry for the late post, but on Saturday afternoon, after my ward surgery, I took the train from home to Liverpool as a UNISON Labour Link delegate for the Greater London Region. 

Along the way, I reported online what seemed to be a stolen Royal Mail van “abandoned” in a nearby car park. The process wasn’t easy, and I plan to follow up with the Police and the GLA. 

In Liverpool, I joined party members, including Newham Executive Mayor Forhad Hussain, and fellow trade unionists at the Labour London Region Reception, chaired by Dawn Butler MP. There were speeches from both London and national figures, including a relaxed and confident appearance by our new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. 

I’m now back from conference and will share more thoughts in the coming days on what was an important, optimistic, and memorable event for our movement.