For businesses, party conferences are about more than the speeches in the main hall. Roundtables, fringe events and conversations across the host cities offer an opportunity to understand the pressures shaping policy, raise concerns and assess what political priorities might mean in practice.
Our Public Law and Politics team joined colleagues and contacts in Liverpool for the Labour Party Conference. From the cost of living to defence, tech security and the use of AI to leasehold reform, five themes stood out.
Defence businesses are navigating opportunity and uncertainty
Defence was an important focus of the team's visit. Toby McCrindle, a Partner in our Innovation team specialising in the sector, chaired a roundtable on the commercial opportunities and challenges facing the industry, attended by our Senior Partner, James Libson. The event was held under the Chatham House Rule.
For businesses in the sector, the relationship between government priorities and commercial planning is particularly significant. Understanding the policy environment is an essential part of assessing opportunities, managing risk and making investment decisions.
The cost of living remains a business issue, not just a household one
At a roundtable hosted by DRD Partnerships, representatives of high street brands discussed the challenges their businesses face and how they are adapting to changing consumer needs.
The discussion was a reminder that household finances and business performance cannot be considered in isolation. Pressure on essential spending shapes consumer choices, with consequences for the high street and the businesses that depend on it. For those engaging with policymakers, explaining how these pressures affect customers and commercial decisions can help make the case for practical policy responses.
Leasehold reform remains a critical issue for property investors
Leasehold reform received limited space in the official conference programme, with the sole scheduled session on the issue cancelled. That should not be mistaken for an absence of policy momentum: the team's assessment was that reform remained a priority, with significant implications for residential freeholders and investors.
We act for a group of clients challenging the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (LAFRA). Their case argues that the legislation unlawfully interferes with their property rights under Article 1 of Protocol 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights by depriving them of existing contractual rights.
The compound impact of LAFRA and the proposed Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill raises further concerns for the industry. For affected businesses, monitoring the detail of proposed reforms, assessing their commercial impact and identifying opportunities to engage will remain essential.
Effective engagement happens beyond the main stage
Across the week, the team met clients, intermediaries and policy contacts through a mix of planned meetings and chance encounters. Those conversations were a reminder that the value of party conferences lies as much in listening and exchanging perspectives as in following formal announcements.
For businesses, effective engagement starts with a clear account of the issue, evidence of its practical impact and an understanding of who can influence the outcome. Conference can provide a useful opportunity to build those relationships, but the work of maintaining them and contributing to the policy debate continues throughout the year.
Politics and policy shape commercial decisions across every sector. The common thread from Liverpool was the importance of understanding that environment early, rather than waiting until a proposal becomes an immediate business problem.
More than just vibes?
Conference venues were bedecked in banners heralding a new era, encouraging attendees to believe there is "Hope Again" for the Labour Party under Andy Burnham's leadership. A healthy dose of British realism led to widespread reporting – which was evident in conversations throughout Conference – questioning the Burnham Government's ability to give substance to the "vibes", with critics pointing to the catalogue of announcements in the run-up to Conference which can reasonably be regarded as tinkering, rather than substantive change.
Please get in touch with our Public Law and Politics team to discuss a policy issue affecting you or your business.