Delivering in Government: your weekly round up of good news Labour stories

It was a busy week for the Labour government.

 Amid a storm brewing in No 10, and the prime minister seizing a grip on his premiership, there was plenty of tangible progress across government departments.

 Here are the seven most exciting breakthroughs and announcements this week that you can use, whether you’re on the doorstep, sparring on social media, or debating in the pub.

1. Ending mid-contract phone bill rises

Major phone and broadband providers have signed up to Labour’s Telecoms Consumer Charter, committing not to hike prices in the middle of contracts.

BT, Virgin Media O2, VodafoneThree, Sky, and TalkTalk all made the commitment. That means when you sign up for a deal, that’s the price you pay for the whole contract.

The charter also makes it easier for people on benefits to access cheaper social tariffs, which could save eligible households up to £220 per year. Providers will now signpost these deals proactively, and let customers facing financial difficulty switch to cheaper plans without penalty.

2. Cracking down on water companies

Labour has built its largest ever team to tackle water companies breaking the law.

By next month, the Environment Agency’s water enforcement team will have 195 officers, up from 41 in 2023, who inspect sewage works, collect samples, and take polluters to court. So far, over 8,000 inspections this year have forced water companies to make over 4,700 improvements, from repairing sewage works to upgrading infrastructure.

And water companies are covering the cost of the £153 million enforcement budget, which is funded by polluters themselves.

3. Communities owning their own energy

Labour is investing £1 billion in empowering local communities to own and control their own clean energy projects – the biggest public community energy investment in British history.

That comes alongside the Local Power Plan, which will support buildings like libraries and leisure centres to put solar panels on their roofs, and reinvest the revenues.

Community owned energy is the norm in other countries. In Germany, around two-fifths of installed renewable energy generation capacity is citizen-owned.

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4. Stopping foreign interference in elections

Labour is tightening the rules on political donations.

Currently, foreign actors are taking advantage of a loophole to donate via UK-registered shell companies. But under plans introduced to Parliament this week, those companies will need to prove they’re genuinely headquartered here, majority-owned by UK citizens, and earning enough to cover their donations.

Separately, the Representation of the People Bill will introduce votes at 16 in all UK elections, delivering a manifesto pledge.

5. Stopping kids reoffending with knives

Labour will require every child caught carrying a knife to have a mandatory plan to stop them reoffending.

Youth Justice Services will create specialised plans based on why the child was carrying a knife, which could include gang exploitation or trauma. Plans could include mentoring, staying in education, or social skills training to boost employability.

If a child doesn’t engage or is still a risk, police are immediately informed and further action taken, including possible criminal charges.

6. Transforming school buildings

Labour is investing £1 billion to end the cycle of patching up crumbling school buildings.

The plan includes £700 million to fix leaky roofs, broken heating systems, and flood protections, extending building lives by 15-40 years. Another £300 million will ensure classrooms can support the technology that modern teaching demands, tackling the digital divide.

Construction firms working on school building projects will have to provide 13,000 apprenticeship and T Level opportunities for young people to train as bricklayers, plumbers, and engineers, with 90% offered within 30 miles of the school being built.

7. Free legal advice for military sexual offence victims

Labour is providing free, independent legal advice to victims of sexual offences committed by military personnel.

In a 12-month pilot, specialist solicitors from outside the MOD will help victim-survivors understand their rights, navigate legal processes, and make informed decisions about data disclosure, including what sharing their phone or medical records means.

The advice will be available to anyone aged 18 or over who reports a sexual offence being investigated by the Service Justice System, whether they’re Service personnel or civilians.

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