Join our online webinar briefing from 2:00pm – 3:00pm on Wednesday 14th October 2026 with PLMR’s advisers Jennifer Gerber, Kirsty Walmsley, and John Cope as they set out where each of the main parties stands after conference season and what organisations should expect in the months ahead.

This year’s conference season was the first since Andy Burnham became Labour leader and Prime Minister, and it comes at a time when the political landscape has just reformed. Labour is setting out the priorities of a new administration, Reform UK is working to turn its position in the polls into a credible offer for government, and the Conservatives are continuing to rebuild in opposition.

Conferences give a clear signal of each party’s direction, but the more important question for us all is what happens next.

The policy commitments made in conference halls, the tone set by leaders, and the pressures from within each party will shape the legislative agenda, ministerial priorities, and opposition strategy through the autumn and into 2027.

Understanding those priorities is important for any organisation seeking to engage with ministers, advisers, MPs, and the wider political world, whether they are planning for policy change, preparing for scrutiny, or looking for opportunities to shape the debate.

Drawing on their experience inside each of their parties, our advisers will give their read on the period ahead. Jennifer Gerber, a former Special Adviser to Andy Burnham across three Cabinet portfolios and former Director of Progress, will cover Labour and the new Government’s agenda. Kirsty Walmsley, formerly Head of Candidates and Campaign Director for Wales at Reform UK, will cover Reform. John Cope, Chairman of the Conservative Councillors’ Association and a Conservative councillor, will cover the Conservatives.

We will look briefly at the key moments from conference season, before turning to each party’s priorities, what they will be focusing on in the coming months, and what clients should have on their radar going into the autumn.

The discussion will be chaired by Simon Darby, Director and Head of Public Affairs at PLMR, and will conclude with a live Q&A with the panel.