Labour Party Conference | What did Keir Starmer commit to during his speech?

Introduced by Baroness Lawrence, Labour leader Keir Starmer took aim at the government's decision to withdraw the universal credit uplift while also presenting his vision for a future Labour government during his 90-minute speech. However, there was little on how the party would directly tackle many of the racial inequalities exposed over the past 18 months. 

Starmer promised to accelerate rape and serious sexual assault cases, as well as administer tougher sentences for rapists, stalkers, and domestic abusers. His remark that the fight against crime will be a labour problem was accompanied by criticism of the government for existing levels of knife crime and anti-social behaviour.

He promised an additional 8,500 mental health professionals to help one million more individuals, while also stating that under his Labour government "spending on mental health will never be allowed to fall." He made a commitment  to provide specialist support for children and young people in schools, and establish mental health hubs in every community.

The Labour leader addressed climate change and offered a Green New Deal while also promising to make insulating homes over the next decade "a national mission".

It will be Labour’s national mission over the next decade, to fit out every home that needs it, to make sure it is warm, well-insulated and costs less to heat and we will create thousands of jobs in the process.

Notably, he pledged that a Labour government would introduce a clean air act with every decision taken under his government having to meet a net-zero test.

On education, he claimed that Labour would undertake the "most ambitious school improvement plan" in a generation, which would include assurances of a career advisor for every young person and the return of a two-week mandatory work placement. Angela Rayner, the Shadow Education Secretary, revealed a week ago that a Labour government would also abolish and replace the school inspection watchdog OFSTED.

Mayowa Ayodele