The policies in Keir Starmer’s 2021 Labour conference speech

Most of the policies in the speech were not new announcements

Starmer delivers his keynote speech to Labour Conference in Brighton (Getty)

Keir Starmer mentioned around a dozen policy areas in a wide-ranging speech to Labour conference on Wednesday.

Most of the policies were repeats of things the party had previously announced – but there were a few new ones in there as well.

Reinstate two weeks of compulsory work experience

The main new policy in the speech was a promise to make it compulsory again for children to take two weeks work experience. This was previously the case until 2012 but Sir Keir said he would restore the policy.

Home insulation programme

The Labour leader mentioned his party’s policy on home insulation, describing it as a “national mission”. Though specifics were not included in the speech, the party briefed afterwards that it would involve £6bn annual expenditure to convert 19 million homes. This could save families as much as £400 a year, he said.

New NHS mental health targets

Sir Keir said he would set a new NHS target to give people mental health support within one month. The speech is not the first time we have heard the policy, as it was briefed to newspapers ahead of the address.

Add digital skills to the school curriculum

Alongside the compulsory work experience policy, Sir Keir said he would make digital skills one of the major components of curriculum, alongside the “three Rs”, reading, writing and, and arithmetic. He did not elaborate on what this would involve.

Tougher sentences for rapists, stalkers, and domestic abusers

The Labour leader restated his party’s policy that it would “fast-track rape and serious sexual assault cases and we will toughen sentences for rapists, stalkers and domestic abusers”.

Change time horizon for company directors

Sir Keir restated Labour’s policy of changing company law to allow directors to consider a company’s long-term future. He referred to this as changing “the priority duty of directors” and said he would have the “blessing of British business” to do so.

Commitment for 3% GDP go into research and development

This policy was restated by Sir Keir in his conference speech: it was first announced by ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell in 2015 and restated by shadow science minister Chi Onwurah five days ago.

All children offered chance to play an instrument and sport

Sir Keir repeated Labour’s existing policy that all children would be offered a chance to play a musical instrument and play competitive sport – it was drawn from Labour’s 2017 policy review.

Net zero test

The Labour leader said that “everything we do in government will have to meet a ‘net zero’ test to ensure that the prosperity we enjoy does not come at the cost of the climate”. He did not elaborate on what the test would involve or how it would be applied.