Labour to Revive Maintenance Grants and Further Education – but Can It Improve Skills and Social Mobility at the Same Time?

Labour to revive maintenance grants and further education – but can it improve skills and social mobility at the same time?

Harbucks/ShutterstockKeir Starmer’s recent speech at the Labour conference placed the UK at a “fork in the road”, telling the audience that there is a choice between “renewal or decline”. Schools, colleges and higher education providers might be pleased to hear that the prime minister sees that education has an important role to play in this renewal. However, the details of the plans contain some challenges – as well as opportunities – for unive…

FTI Consulting UK Public Affairs Snapshot: Labour Party Conference 2025: Defiant Renewal - FTI Strategic Communications

Labour Party conference opened against a challenging backdrop for the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, following a turbulent period marked by the dismissal of Peter Mandelson as British Ambassador to the United States and the departure of the party’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, amid a tax scandal. Goodwill among the party membership has been wearing thin, and while there is support within the party for a number of Labour’s individual policies…

Further Education (FE) and Skills Was Centre Stage At The Labour Party Conference, Now Action Must Follow

Attending this year’s Labour Party Conference, I was struck by a growing recognition: the further education (FE) and skills sector is no longer quietly supporting from the sidelines – it is stepping into the spotlight as a driving force behind every national mission. Whether we’re talking about building homes, delivering healthcare, or driving innovation, the FE and skills sector is the connective tissue powering the future workforce and nationa…