Labour brought its annual conference back to the North this week, with Liverpool playing host for the fourth year running. Over five days, the city welcomed politicians, business leaders, delegates and protestors – all jostling to shape the narrative.
While Keir Starmer’s keynote dominated the headlines, for Northern creatives and tech firms the most significant developments were buried in fringe sessions and corridor conversations.
Here are 10 things we learned:
1. £150m pledged for the creative industries
Labour confirmed a £150m Creative Industries Sector Plan, billed as a long-term boost to film, TV, gaming, fashion and music. It’s a clear statement that culture and creativity are now hardwired into Labour’s growth strategy.
At the conference, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “The UK’s cultural and creative industries are one of our greatest success stories – rooted in our communities, powered by talent and full of potential.”
2. Two-thirds of that funding is heading North
Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, the North East and West Yorkshire will each get £25m over three years from 2026. That means two-thirds of the entire pot is coming to Northern mayors, giving them unprecedented power to shape local creative ecosystems. It is also another sign that those in devolved areas are being prioritised and that those without such deals – such as Lancashire – risk being left behind.
3. Lisa Nandy says creativity has “no postcode”
Nandy stressed that devolved funding allows mayors to tailor plans to their region’s strengths. The message was clear that Whitehall won’t dictate how this money is spent – local leaders will.
4. £8m in grants for SMEs
Alongside the big-ticket funding, more than 100 creative SMEs will share £8m in grants ranging from £20,000 to £140,000. For smaller studios and agencies, this is the most immediate opportunity, providing capital to scale up or commercialise fresh ideas.
5. A new “Town of Culture” is coming
Details are still thin, but the launch of a UK Town of Culture competition could be a boon for local councils and BID groups. Expect a flurry of bids — and a wave of briefs for agencies skilled in storytelling, branding and evaluation.
Nandy said she was “proud” to launch the scheme, emphasising it would “tell working-class stories.”
6. A Women’s Tech Taskforce is on the way
Liz Kendall announced a new taskforce featuring BT boss Allison Kirkby and Stemettes founder Anne-Marie Imafidon. Its mission: tackle under-representation and create more opportunities for women in tech, an area where the North’s digital sector has a big role to play.
7. Digital ID divides opinion
Labour’s proposed digital ID scheme was one of the most controversial moments of the week. It sparked noisy protests in Liverpool and raised wider concerns over privacy. For Northern start-ups in identity verification or fintech, it’s a policy to watch closely — equal parts risk and opportunity.
8. Creators want protection from AI
On the fringes, novelist Kate Mosse warned that unchecked AI could “kill” the UK’s creative economy. With the industry already worth £125bn, campaigners are urging Labour to match its investment pledges with stronger safeguards for original content.
At a fringe session, Mosse said: “There will be very few people who are producing original work … we will have killed an industry that is incredibly important to the economy.”
9. Businesses are optimistic but wary
Rachel Reeves’ speech won applause for its pro-investment tone, but the lack of clarity on future taxes left some businesses cautious. The mood was one of cautious optimism: supportive of Labour’s direction, but waiting for detail.
10. Leadership jitters could shift the agenda
Speculation about Andy Burnham’s leadership ambitions, combined with the backlash over digital ID, underscored Labour’s fragility. For agencies planning long-term projects, that volatility matters. Policies unveiled in Liverpool could still be reshaped under political pressure and the man dubbed ‘King of the North’ later claimed one form of victory by saying Starmer’s new target for two-thirds of children to either go to university or do a ‘gold standard apprenticeship’ was adapted from one his own. That target replaces the Blair-era aim of 50% of kids going to university but how that will affect the already-embattled further education sector remains to be seen.
Burnham faced plenty of questions in Liverpool. Asked whether Sir Keir was the right person to lead the party, he replied simply: “Yes.” He added, on claims he might challenge for leadership: “I can’t launch a leadership campaign, I’m not in Parliament, so that is the bottom line.”
That said, in national media reaction, many parsed his comments as strategic posturing — so this is a space to keep watching.
The bottom line
Labour’s Liverpool conference showed that creativity and technology are firmly on the party’s agenda, with the North potentially positioned as a major beneficiary. But the road ahead is far from smooth. For Northern agencies and firms, the message is to seize the new funding opportunities while keeping one eye on the political weather.
