The future is cooperative
- October 2025
Ancsa Voinea
Author
Coop News
Labour conference: Co-ops position themselves as inclusive growth enablers
- 6th Oct 2025
- Community Wealth Building
Economic growth, a priority for Keir Starmer’s government, has been a central theme at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, with the prime minister calling it an “antidote to division”. Starmer also talked of putting working people in control of public services, boosting the clean energy sector, investing in rejuvenating high streets, and saving youth clubs and pubs – all areas where co-ops are active. Other announcements include a new target for two thirds of young people to go to university or study a technical qualification after leaving school, an update of Blair-era target of 50% of young people going to university.
Meanwhile, chancellor Rachel Reeves promised to keep “taxes, inflation and interest rates as low as possible”, warning she would not “just abandon economic responsibility and cast off any constraints on spending.” She said the government will continue its commitment to build 1.5 million homes in this parliament, including a £40bn spend on new social housing.
