Labour Party Conference 2008

2 December 2008

Announcements at Labour's 2008 conference include further plans to tackle child poverty, free theatre tickets for young people, ID cards for those as young as 14, new measures to tackle bullying, free school meals for pupils, smacking ban proposals and discussions on child custody.

Children's trusts urged to work with youth offending teams

Children's trusts and youth offending teams must work together to reduce violent youth crime, children's minister Beverley Hughes has urged.

Labour Party Conference: MPs would oppose any smacking ban

Children's Secretary Ed Balls has voiced his opposition to a ban on smacking children and said the majority of MPs would not support a ban if there was ever a...

Labour Conference: One million free theatre tickets to be given to young people

The government is giving a million free tickets to young people to encourage them to experience live theatre, Culture secretary Andy Burnham confirmed at the Labour Party conference.

Labour Conference: All school bullying incidents to be logged

All incidents of bullying in schools are to be recorded under plans announced by Children's Secretary, Ed Balls, today.

Labour Conference: Primary pupils to get free healthy school meals

The government is to provide free healthy school meals to all primary school pupils in two local authorities, health secretary Alan Johnson announced this morning.

Labour Conference: Teachers caught in a "climate and culture of blame", says NAHT

The president of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has told delegates at the Labour Party conference that teachers are being de-skilled by the National Curriculum.

Labour Conference: Knight considers change in well-being measurement

Schools minister Jim Knight has agreed to consider allowing schools to measure well-being through self-evaluation.

Labour Party Conference: Child poverty not a 'simple' problem

The government should "blitz" child poverty targets by making changes to the tax system, the chief executive of Barnardo's has said.

Labour Party Conference: Care and custody link requires action

The government has failed to end the seepage of looked-after children into the justice system and needs to radically rethink its youth crime policies, a...