Buoyed by an overwhelming by-election win taking a seat from the SNP in Scotland this week, Labour will host their annual party conference in Liverpool from Sunday 08 to Wednesday 11 October.
With a General Election looming and the party ahead in the polls, Labour will begin to set out their campaign strategy this weekend with a series of speeches, training sessions and fringe events. Coming just days after Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn MP made his first official trip to Belfast, and with future EU relations remaining a key priority for the party, Northern Ireland is expected to be a key talking point in and out of the conference hall.
With many in anticipation of a new Labour government, the conference is set to attract large numbers of business leaders and campaigners. Sir Keir Starmer MP will deliver his leader’s speech at 2pm on Tuesday 10 October, while deputy leader Angela Rayner MP will address delegates on opening day. Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn MP will take part in several fringe events related to Northern Ireland.
NI on the Conference Agenda
The conference period will feature several NI focused fringe events, including:
Good Friday 25 Years On: An Agreement for a Shared Future, Sunday October 8 – Chaired by Sinn Féin’s John Finucane MP, this panel will feature Michelle O’Neill MLA, Hilary Benn MP and Baroness Frances O’Grady, Former General Secretary of the TUC.
From Peace to Prosperity: How Northern Ireland Can Transform Its Economy Over the Next 25 Years, Monday 09 October – Hilary Benn MP, Simon Hamilton, Managing Director at Confluence Consulting and Kate Jennings, Policy Director at Logistics UK.
Retail Northern Ireland Reception, Monday 09 October – Led by Retail NI, this reception will be addressed by Hilary Benn MP.
What can we expect from a Labour Government?
Labour currently has a healthy lead in the polls, sitting at 44.1%, compared to the Conservatives on 27.5%.
They will hold a fringe event titled ‘Rebooting and Levelling up for the Next General Election’ on Tuesday October 10.
Under a Labour Government, Northern Ireland and the entirety of the UK can expect to move closer to the EU in terms of reputation and alignment on post-Brexit trading processes.
This week, the Labour leader said a border poll on Irish reunification is “not even on the horizon”, adding that he would like to achieve a better deal with the European Union if he becomes Prime Minister.
In January, Sir Keir vowed to repeal the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill if it was on the statute book when he came to power. The bill passed into law last month, but Mr Starmer said this week that any legislation without the support of victims is “wrong in principle”.
There is speculation that Hilary Benn MP will move into the role of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Currently Shadow Secretary of State, Benn has demonstrated a genuine interest in Northern Irish affairs and taken a proactive approach to the region. In 2022, Mr Benn published a report entitled ‘How to Fix the NI Protocol’ in which he offered various remedies to resolve the Stormont collapse and associated issues.