5 Things We Learned From Keir Starmer's Keynote Labour Speech

<div><img src="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/68dbf4bd18000021a65d0ae8.jpeg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale" alt="Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer gives his keynote speech at the annual Labour Party conference in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025." data-caption="Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer gives his keynote speech at the annual Labour Party conference in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025." data-credit-link-back="" data-credit="via Associated Press" />Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer gives his keynote speech at the annual Labour Party conference in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025.</div><div class="content-list-component text"><p><a href="news/keir-starmer" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Keir Starmer’s </a>major speech at the <a href="news/labour-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Labour</a> conference was an attempt to rally party members after a particularly tumultous year for the government.</p><p>With new policy pledges, stern putdowns for his critics and a promise that “a new world is coming,” here’s a look at the five things we learned from the prime minister’s keynote address.</p><h2><strong>1. Blair’s university targets scrapped</strong></h2><p>The prime minister dropped <a href="news/tony-blair" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tony Blair’s </a>famous 1999 goal of getting 50% of people a university education.</p><p>Starmer announced plans to transform further and higher education with a new target for two-thirds of young people to gain higher-level skills by the age of 25.</p><p>That includes encouraging at least 10% (double the current figure) of young people to pursue higher