Earlier this month, Curia hosted an event for our Industrial Strategy Research Group Subscribers. As part of this, we welcomed the Shadow Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson MP, and the Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Peter Kyle.
Both Shadow Ministers delivered keynote speeches at the event. Phillipson spoke about Labour’s plans for education while Kyle focused on future innovation and the challenges ahead for a prospective Labour government.
Labour’s Education Plans
Last year, Sir Keir Starmer revealed that Labour’s fifth mission in government will be to break down the opportunity barriers for every child at every stage. They want all children to have equal opportunities, right through from early years to university.
Phillipson spoke about how education will be critical for the Labour Party moving forward and how they plan to put it at the heart of UK politics once again. Not only will they look to ensure opportunities are there for everyone, but also at how education can bring about a better and more inclusive society.
Thinking Outside the School Gates
A key theme that Phillipson kept coming back to was the idea that education shouldn’t just be something that we think about inside the classroom. She wants to create an education system where individuals are given the social opportunity to meet people from different cultures and backgrounds to help open our eyes to what else is out there.
To get to that point, children need to be put in a position where they are ready to learn and engage with education. That means setting them up for the day with breakfast and supporting them with mental health challenges. Based on Phillipson’s remarks, we can expect early years improvements to play a key part in education policy under a potential Labour government.
Kyle Warns About the Difficulties Ahead
Peter Kyle started his speech by reminding those in attendance about the current financial state the country is still in and the challenges that Labour face should they win the Election.
During Labour’s last tenure as government under Tony Blair and then, briefly, Gordon Brown, the economy grew by an average of 2.5 per cent. Now, the UK are in more debt than they have been since the 1960s.
Pointing to that, Kyle stated that to get the country back on track, a combined effort between industry and government is required. The Government won’t be able to steady the ship on its own, and he is acutely aware that businesses will need a helping hand to help boost the economy
The Future of Science and Innovation
As the Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Kyle spoke at length about how this sector will evolve under a Labour government.
Labour recently unveiled their Life Sciences Action Plan, which is as ambitious as anything else they have pledged to do in recent years. They plan to return the sector to the high growth it was at during Tony Blair’s Labour Government, and create more than 100,000 jobs in the sector by 2030.
Kyle revealed in his speech that the Life Sciences Action Plan was just the beginning and that more plans, including their AI strategy, will be launched in the coming months. He has promised a scale of ambition that will surpass anything the Conservatives can do.
Labour Party Plans to Spread New Innovations
To finish up, Kyle spoke about his disbelief at how the Tory Party have neglected the innovation and technology sector. According to him, the Autumn Budget demonstrated that there is £72 billion of fiscal headroom for the exchequer, which could be invested into innovation and research programmes.
He questioned how the current Government sleep at night knowing about all the technological potential currently sitting on their laps that they are doing nothing with. He claims that they aren’t putting any kind of “energy and imagination” into the sector and that change is necessary.
He said that the Labour Party plans to spread new innovations across public health, giving the NHS the tools they need to move into the future.
To become a Research Group subscriber, please email team@curiauk.com.
This is just one of the articles that will feature in the new edition of Chamber’s Parliamentary Journal which will be available tomorrow! Please click here to subscribe and read.