Science at the Labour party conference 2023, Liverpool

The Labour party conference was busy, very busy – it was, in fact, the largest ever Labour conference, with a record 15,000 delegates crowded into Liverpool’s ACC. The weather was sunny, the mood upbeat, and members and politicians alike had all the confidence of a party on the up. Criticism of the Conservative government was kept to a largely marginal activity – reputedly at leader Sir Keir Starmer’s instruction – with shadow ministers instead focusing on Labour’s plans for power, although the pastime was not entirely absent from the conference, with the most frequent criticism being directed at the government’s recent changes to green targets.

Shadow ministers were highly visible across the science and education fringe events, making it clear that science and education would be key to a future Labour government. Chi Onwurah (Shadow Minister for Science, Research and Innovation) wore her engineering background proudly on her sleeve across a range of panel discussions and Ed Miliband (Shadow Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero) even quipped about of the importance of his physics A-level in developing the green strategy.

Science in particular seemed to be at the forefront of the fringe event agenda, attracting crowded rooms of spectators and generating lively Q&As. This wasn’t surprising, considering that green energy is central to Labour ambitions for the UK, and with it a skills plan. It has committed to creating a new skills body, Skills England, and establishing an Industrial Strategy Council.

While Labour acknowledges the efforts that have so far been made to move the UK to zero emissions, particularly highlighting the success of offshore wind power, its MPs bemoaned that this has not created more jobs and growth within the UK. They would seek to address this with policies such as the creation of a national energy provider, Great British Energy, and by upgrading the UK’s port infrastructure, which they hope will harness growth and skilled science jobs as the UK shifts to zero emissions.

The current government has made much of its ambitions for the UK to become a science and technology superpower, but at its conference Labour demonstrated that Conservatives do not have a monopoly on enthusiasm for science. If the phrase ‘science and technology superpower’ was a challenge to the Labour party, then Labour’s rhetoric has matched and possibly raised it.

In the October sunshine on Liverpool’s riverside, Labour was not questioning whether science and technology were necessary to drive the UK economy, but rather arguing that it is a government in waiting capable of delivering success through them.

Oliver Williams is IOP Public Affairs Advisor