Now the dust has settled following last month’s party conference season, our Comms & Public Affairs Manager, Ed Butler, has taken some time to reflect on the interesting and impactful discussions held at the Lib Dem (Brighton), Labour (Liverpool) and Conservative (Birmingham) party conferences.
London Sport’s key objective going in was to strengthen our existing relationships with policymakers, as well as forming new relationships across the political parties we felt best represented all sides of the political spectrum – Lib Dems, Labour and the Conservatives – all with the aim of helping us and the wider sector to advocate for policies in line with other wider organisational objectives (as outlined in our new strategy here).
Naturally, there was a different focus at each conference. However, it was good to see that the amount of crossover in the discussions around sport and physical activity and the role it plays in society. A consistent theme was that grassroots sport and physical activity can star as a cost-effective and preventative measure that will help ease the pressure on the NHS by improving the nation’s health and wellbeing.
Whilst this sounds promising, we are keen to see how this is delivered on across Westminster, rather than it ending up as a nice soundbite. It’s clear we should be exploring cost-effective pathways to increase access to sport and physical activity, so that we can all enjoy the whole range of benefits of an active lifestyle – as highlighted by the #TakeTheLead Campaign that was led by the National Sector Partners Group (NSPG) earlier this Autumn.
One pathway that London Sport has spotlighted across our advocacy efforts is the Opening Schools Facilities (OSF) Fund – a pot of Government funding that is helping unlock community access to the 71% of sports halls, 60% of artificial pitches and 33% of swimming pools in England that currently sit behind school gates. As the OSF funding runs out at the end of March 2025, our ask is simple – that it is expanded, or at very least extended, as it has proven to be a great example of how sport and physical activity can be used to not only increase the nation’s physical and mental health, but to build communities and create opportunities and healthy habits for young people to take into adulthood – all for a relatively small amount of investment.
Below is a quick summary of what we heard at each party conference.
Liberal Democrats – Brighton
Whilst there were a limited number of sessions at the Lib Dem Party Conference that specifically focused on grassroots sport and physical activity, there were plenty that spoke to the sector’s discussions around housing and active design, education and health. One key message that was consistent across the weekend – the Liberal Democrats will seek to position themselves as the opposition to come, or as a ‘critical friend’ – seeing its remit as being to ‘hold the Government’s feet to the fire’ on a number of important issues, particularly on health and social care.
Deputy Leader, Daisy Cooper MP gave an emotional account of her own experiences with the NHS – and ultimately how it helped save her life – and emphasised that health would be the party’s primary focus over the next five years – which in turn was reflected by the Lib Dems splitting the health portfolio across four key spokespeople.
It is safe to say that one of London Sport’s priorities will be ensuring the Lib Dems push the Government to utilise sport, physical activity and movement in its efforts to shift healthcare to focus on prevention. Layla Moran MP (Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee) will also be a key figure for the sector to engage.
As well as this, a priority for London Sport will be to engage the Munira Wilson MP – member for the London constituency of Twickenham, and the Lib Dem Spokesperson for Education, Children and Families – around the OSF Fund, which directly aligns with the party’s plans to boost participation, equality, diversity and inclusion in sport and physical activity through investment in leisure centres, swimming pools and other grassroots facilities.
Other panel discussions focused on issues such as: the role of school food in tackling the disadvantage gap; how independent and state schools work together to improve outcomes for all; tackling geographic inequalities at the neighbourhood level, and how the Lib Dems will pursue growth in London via housing.
Labour – Liverpool
London Sport kicked off its Labour Conference by attending the Labour Society for Sport’s event, where Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock MP talked up the impact that sport and physical activity has on the country, particularly for children and young people as they develop.
This was followed up by Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Lisa Nandy MP later outlining the Government’s commitment to improving grassroots sports and access to sport in schools throughout conference. At a fringe event on the Football Governance Bill, the Secretary of State also highlighted the need to improve accessibility to sports as being key to levelling up across the country and expressed her enthusiasm about helping more girls to get into football and other sports. The Sector will continue to engage those across the Department for Culture, Media and Sport across these issues.
Emily Robinson, London Sport Chief Executive, spoke on a panel held in partnership with the Local Government Association, Sport and Recreation Alliance and PlayInnovation, which focused on prevention first – building healthier communities through sport and leisure provision. Alongside Emily, other panellists included Councillor Tracey Dixon (Vice-Chair of LGA Culture, Tourism and Sport Board and Leader of South Tyneside Council), Councillor Claire Holland (Leader of Lambeth Council and Chair of London Councils), and Jack Baker (Head of Policy at the LTA). Discussion ranged from the use of sport and physical activity interventions to tackle health inequalities, neighbourhood interventions (such as the LTA’s Park Tennis Project) and how local Government – and healthcare – can be more joined up to support communities be more active.
Elsewhere, our agenda featured panel discussions on the role that schools can play in addressing physical, mental and social developmental issues via sport and physical activity – hosted by Youth Sport Trust and included Education Minister Catherine McKinnell MP, and Dame Rachel De Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England – as well as panels at the conference’s Youth Zone, where StreetGames hosted packed-out panels.
London Sport also met with James Asser MP, Krupesh Hirani AM and the Mayor of London’s policy team to discuss our upcoming priorities, across London and nationally as an Active Partnership. Namely, the upcoming Budget announcement (30 October), which will announce key changes to tax, spending and benefits – a significant milestone for our advocacy work – with many of the support funds due to run out 31 March 2025.
Conservative – Birmingham
The on-going Conservative party leadership election understandably dominated this year’s conference, with merchandise for sale and crowds cheering and following their preferred candidates across the conference zone. This seemingly was the driver of a general sense of optimism across the weekend. Fringe events discussed where the party had gone wrong, what it needed to do moving forward, and how to restore public trust in the party.
We won’t comment on the leadership race and note that our key stakeholders within the party will be heavily impacted by the outcome of the leadership election and any subsequent reshuffles within the party, but the common discussions at this conference focused on the economy, healthcare and immigration.
The weekend included discussions on the benefits of being outdoors – with the Scouts and Robbie Moore MP (Keighley and Ilkley) – Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – talking up the number of physical and mental health benefits of young people getting outside. In a panel discussion on the party’s approach to sports policy, Louie French MP – London MP and Shadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport – also had a lot of positive things to say about wanting to engage with the sector, particularly around what support the sector needs – in light of existing support like OSF and the Holiday activities and food (HAF) programmes coming to an end. London Sport caught up with the Shadow Minister, as well as the Conservative Friends of Sport, and we look forward to engaging them on the party’s approach to sport and physical activity.
Damian Hinds MP – Shadow Secretary of State for Education – also appeared on a panel discussion with the Children’s Commissioner for England, on the challenges and opportunities for education policy to support children’s wellbeing and mental health, with international comparisons for context.
London Sport will look to engage with the Children’s Commissioner moving forward on how the sector can best play its part to support policy for children and young people.
If you have any questions, or would like to discuss any of London Sport’s advocacy work, please get in touch with Ed at [email protected]
