- Hecklers disrupt Reeves’ Labour conference speech
- Reeves promises no return to austerity
- £7m breakfast club pilot scheme announced
Rachel Reeves, during her speech at the Labour conference, announced a pilot scheme for breakfast clubs at 750 primary schools. However, her speech was interrupted by hecklers who called for a halt to arms sales to Israel and raised concerns about environmental issues.
Reeves, the UK’s first female chancellor, was addressing the audience in Liverpool when disruptions erupted. A young man in the crowd shouted, “We are still selling arms to Israel. I thought we voted for change, Rachel. Climate breakdown is on our doorstep.” Additional heckles such as “Free Palestine” and “Stop oil” echoed from the audience.
A second protester attempted to unfurl a banner but was stopped by a nearby attendee. Security swiftly intervened, removing the protesters as the audience booed and chanted, “Down, down.” Despite the commotion, Reeves remained composed, asserting that Labour is now “a party that represents working people, not a party of protest.” Her statement was met with cheers and a standing ovation from the crowd.
The protest group Climate Resistance claimed responsibility for the disruption, criticizing the conference’s security for “violent” handling of their members. They accused Labour of inaction due to donations from polluting industries and pro-Israel lobbyists. Earlier in the month, the government had suspended 30 of 350 arms export licenses to Israel. The group reported that three of their members, who were also Labour Party members, were detained by police for questioning but later released.
No Return to Austerity
The brief interruption did not deter Reeves, who continued her speech with a more hopeful tone than the usual economic pessimism expressed by her and Sir Keir Starmer. She emphasized that there will be “no return to austerity,” denouncing Conservative austerity measures for harming public services and stifling growth.
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Reeves outlined Labour’s ambition to rebuild Britain with an optimistic budget. She promised, “It will be a budget with real ambition, a budget to fix the foundations, a budget to deliver the change we promised.”
The autumn budget is scheduled for 30 October, with potential tax increases expected as part of the government’s strategy.
Policy Announcement
During the speech, Reeves announced £7 million in funding for a pilot scheme to introduce breakfast clubs to 750 primary schools across England. The initiative, part of Labour’s manifesto, aims to extend breakfast provisions to all state school children aged 4 to 11 in England. The pilot will help determine the best approach for nationwide implementation.
Reeves emphasized that the scheme is “an investment in our young people, reducing child poverty, and boosting our economy.” Currently, around 12% of state schools in England offer breakfast clubs subsidized through the National School Breakfast Club Programme (NSBP). However, this funding is set to expire in July 2025.
