Liverpool played host to one of Europe’s largest political gatherings last month as more than 20,000 delegates, politicians and industry leaders came together for the annual Labour Party Conference. Taking place from Sunday 28 September – Wednesday 1 October, four packed days featured discussions focused on how to build a greener, wealthier Britain into the 2030s and beyond.
For the Context team, it was a week of meaningful dialogue, innovation and collaboration, hosting and supporting events for a range of clients tackling some of the UK’s biggest challenges, from clean energy and digital sovereignty to apprenticeships, recycling and housebuilding.
Why Green Gas Matters
The week kicked off with a packed room for our Cadent Gas panel, where an expert line-up including Arnie Craven, Head of External Affairs at Cadent; Tom Collins MP; Charles McAllister, Government and Public Affairs Advisor; and Cameron Ball came together to discuss the role of green gas in achieving Labour’s ambition to make the UK a clean energy superpower.
The discussion underscored that tackling the climate and nature crisis will demand bold innovation, with renewable gases set to play a crucial role in securing a cleaner, more resilient energy future.
Securing Britain’s Digital Future
Our second panel put digital sovereignty in the spotlight. Chaired by Jon Craig from Sky News the debate featured Alex Barros-Curtis MP; Al Carns MP and Oliver Brown, Vice President of Commercial at Wire. Together the panel members explored how the UK can protect its critical infrastructure, data and citizens in an increasingly interconnected world.
A major talking point was the proposed BritCard, a digital ID initiative confirmed by Al Carns MP to begin with the veterans’ ID rollout. The conversation highlighted Labour’s commitment to resilience, autonomy and long-term digital security.
Apprenticeships and the Future of Skills
Our next session was the Apprentify panel discussion where sector leaders Dale Walker, Director of Education at Apprentify and Lisa Reynolds, Managing Director at ioda shared insights into how apprenticeships can drive social mobility and help SMEs access vital funding. The conversation centred on how to strengthen the UK’s skills pipeline and open up opportunities across industries with the consensus being that a thriving apprenticeship ecosystem is key to Britain’s future workforce.
It was great to see Pam Cox MP calling for greater visibility of apprenticeships through UCAS-style platforms, while Al Carns MP urged the UK to “own AI rather than ignore it.”
Building Homes Through Connectivity and Skills
Technology took centre stage once again as began our next session, supporting UK Connect’s panel on “How can investing in technology and skills help the UK supercharge housebuilding?” Moderated by Rachael Burford from the Evening Standard, the discussion featured Joe Budnar-Hunt, CTO of UK Connect, who emphasised the crucial role of digital infrastructure commenting that, “connectivity is the backbone of a modern housebuilding ecosystem. It ensures data flows seamlessly between planners, architects, suppliers and site teams. Without it, even the best tools become isolated islands of innovation.”
Through initiatives like the Farr Foundation, UK Connect is already inspiring over 15,000 young people to explore careers in STEM, laying the foundation for the next generation of builders, engineers and innovators.
Building a Circular Economy
At an event hosted for Enviroo, the panel explored the urgent need for investment in the UK’s recycling infrastructure ahead of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) rollout in 2027. Chaired by Jon Craig from Sky News with opening remarks from Mary Creagh CBE MP, Minister for Nature, the discussion brought together voices from across industry including Rosie Bartram (Coca-Cola Europacific Partners); Euan Stainbank MP; Felix Michel (Enviroo) and Duncan Midwood (DDRS Alliance).
With 50% of UK waste currently exported abroad, the message was clear: Britain must prioritise domestic recycling capacity to meet sustainability goals and manage rising waste volumes.
Protecting Our Rivers and Landscapes
The “Making Space for Water” campaign panel tackled the question of how Labour can protect communities and restore nature.
Emma Hardy MP, Minister for Water and Flooding, joined Lloyd Hatton MP; Tessa Wardley from the Rivers Trust and Isabella Murfin from the Country, Land and Business Association (CLA) in a discussion chaired by Jon Craig. The panel explored practical solutions from reconnecting floodplains and rewarding nature-friendly land management to reintroducing keystone species like beavers, all aimed at creating resilient river systems for people and wildlife.
The Case for Structural Timber
As the conference drew to a close, the Structural Timber Association (STA) hosted a powerful discussion on sustainable solutions to the UK’s housing crisis, just hours before the Prime Minister’s keynote speech.
Chaired by Dame Siobhain McDonagh MP and Leonie Cooper AM, alongside Andrew Orriss (STA) and Tom Fairlie (Walker Timber Engineering), the panel highlighted the potential of timber frame construction to help meet housing targets faster and more sustainably.
“If we want to build 1.5 million homes between now and the end of this Parliament, getting a wriggle on is unbelievably important,” said Leonie Cooper AM. “Structural timber builds can really help us get there.”
With capacity to deliver up to 100,000 homes annually, the timber industry stands ready to play a major role in achieving Labour’s ambitious housing agenda.