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

It was a busy week for the Labour government.

While the prime minister attended the G7 summit in France, departments in Whitehall were busy creating change.

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. Banning social media for under-16s

Labour will block Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X from offering services to children under 16.

The plan goes further than Australia’s pioneering ban, with extra curbs on livestreaming and stranger contact for under-16s across gaming and other platforms too. AI chatbots designed to simulate romantic or sexual relationships will have to enforce a minimum age of 18.

Nine in ten parents backed the move in a national consultation that drew more than 116,000 responses. Legislation is expected before Christmas, with the ban itself in force by spring 2027.

2. Handing power to local communities

Labour has unveiled a £301 million package to give people more of a role in how their high streets and local services are run.

At its heart is a new £61 million Community Right to Buy Fund, giving people in deprived areas the cash to step in and save pubs, shops, and other community assets at risk of closing. CAMRA called it a potentially game-changing lifeline for local pubs after the previous ownership fund was axed in 2024.

The package also includes £15 million for Community Power Pilots in up to 25 areas, where residents help redesign local services, plus reforms making it easier for social housing tenants to take control of managing their own estates.

3. Opening 180 more Youth Hubs

Labour has confirmed the locations of almost 180 new Youth Hubs across Great Britain.

The hubs bring CV support, training, and careers guidance into local sports clubs, libraries, and community venues, meeting young people where they are rather than in a job centre. They’re backed by £2.5 billion of investment and form part of a wider expansion to over 360 areas within three years.

The goal is for every young person in Great Britain to live within an hour’s public transport journey of a Youth Hub.

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4. Cash bonuses for nursery teachers

Labour has expanded its £4,500 bonus for qualified nursery teachers to 30 of England’s most deprived areas.

The scheme launched in ten areas earlier this month, with today’s announcement tripling its reach. It pays graduate teachers to work in nurseries where qualified staff are hardest to recruit.

Eighteen new hubs of excellent nursery teaching have also been confirmed, doubling the existing network to 36 across England.

5. Record investment in cycling and walking

Labour is investing billions in new walking, wheeling, and cycling routes over the next five years.

The third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy is projected to invest over £4.5 billion of spending, creating 5,000 new routes and 10,000 safer crossings connecting homes with schools and high streets.

Ministers estimate that households giving up a second car in favour of active travel could save around £1,700 a year.

6. Cutting planning delays with AI

Labour has launched two AI tools designed to speed up decisions on home extensions and loft conversions.

A new prototype, built with Google DeepMind, aims to halve the time taken on routine householder applications, cutting the average wait from eight weeks to four. It’s being trialled in Barnet, Camden, and Dorset, with planning officers reviewing and signing off every decision before it’s made.

The second tool, Extract, is now available to every council in England. It turns decades of handwritten planning documents and maps into usable digital data within minutes.

7. Investing in green aviation

Labour is backing British companies to build a homegrown sustainable aviation fuel industry.

A new £219 million Low Carbon Fuels Fund will open for applications in mid-July, with £93 million available over the next two years for projects closest to production.

The government says the sector could add £5 billion to the economy and support 15,000 jobs by 2050.

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