Lisa Nandy MP, and Secretary of Culture, Media and Sport, made a rousing speech at the Labour Party Conference.
In her speech, Lisa discussed the government’s ever-evolving stance on online safety to youth services and the arts.
Above all, Lisa set out vision of a country where every young person has the chance to thrive — and where towns like ours are at the heart of our future.
There was a clear message running through Lisa Nandy’s speech to Labour Party Conference 2026: we cannot build a better country by leaving people behind.
Lisa’s vision is one rooted in Labour’s proud history, the power of collective action and the belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to live a full and fulfilling life.
Wiganers know only to well that we have a proud working-class history, a strong sense of community and a long tradition of people coming together to improve the lives of others. The challenge now is to make sure that the next generation has the same opportunities to build a better future.
Making the online world safer
One of the central themes of Lisa’s speech was the need to take online safety seriously.
The internet is now sitting in most teenagers’ pockets, but it has also created new ways for children to be exploited, women to be harassed and people to be driven out of public life through abuse.
Lisa argued that we cannot leave the responsibility for tackling these problems entirely in the hands of technology companies.
She outlined plans for stronger protections for children online, including legislation to prevent children from taking, sharing or viewing nude images, proposals for a comprehensive social media ban for children, and action against abusive and non-consensual images.
Her underlying point was straightforward: technology should serve people, not put them at risk.
For parents across Wigan, the safety and wellbeing of their children is a real concern. Families should not have to feel powerless when confronted with online abuse, harmful content or platforms that put profit ahead of people’s welfare.
We need an online world that supports young people, protects their privacy and allows them to participate safely in modern life.
Giving young people more than a screen
But Lisa also made an important point: protecting young people online is only part of the answer.
If we want children and teenagers to spend less time in harmful online spaces, we must make sure they have somewhere positive to go and something meaningful to do.
That means more youth clubs like Wigan Youth Zone, sports facilities such as those run by Wigan Council’s Be Well service, as well as more music studios, arts programmes and trusted adults who can offer support when life becomes difficult. We are lucky in Wigan that colleges for 16-18s offer these services and that younger children can access Wigan Youth Zone: but there is always room for improvement. The Old Courts, Wigan Little Theatre, Wigan Music Service, Wigan College, TMP College and many more besides have created a strong foundation for these arts to be built on, And the renovation of the Royal Court Theatre and Pier 2 at Wigan Pier promise to further these facilities for future generations.
Lisa strongly believes that our young people need opportunities, encouragement and the freedom to discover what they are capable of achieving.
Lisa highlighted the Government’s Youth Matters strategy and investment through the Arts Everywhere fund and the Every Child Can programme. She also spoke about putting arts, music, sport, dance and drama back at the heart of the curriculum.
These are not simply optional extras. They help young people develop confidence, build friendships, discover their talents and find their place in their communities.
In a town like Wigan, where community identity and grassroots sport are such important parts of local life, this should resonate strongly.
Talent is everywhere. Opportunity must be too.
A thousand youth workers: a commitment that matters
Perhaps the most powerful announcement in Lisa’s speech was the commitment to fund and recruit 1,000 youth workers, described as the biggest investment in youth work in a generation.
Lisa drew on her own experience working with vulnerable young people before entering Parliament, recalling how youth workers had helped young people facing bereavement, poverty and exploitation.
Her message was that sometimes the person who makes the greatest difference is someone who notices when a young person is struggling, takes the time to listen and refuses to give up on them.
That is the importance of youth work.
For Wigan, the important question is how national investment can help strengthen the services available to young people in our own communities.
We need to make sure that young people can access support close to home, that youth workers have the resources to do their jobs properly, and that no teenager is written off because they are experiencing difficulties.
As Lisa made clear, no young person should be forgotten.
Culture belongs to everyone
Lisa also spoke about the importance of ensuring that arts and culture are accessible to people in every part of the country.
For Labour, this is about fairness as much as creativity.
A child’s ability to learn an instrument, join a drama group, visit a cultural venue or develop an interest in the arts should not depend on whether they grow up in a wealthy area or whether their parents can afford expensive activities.
Our towns have stories to tell, traditions to celebrate and people with extraordinary talent. Yet opportunities can too often be concentrated in places that already enjoy the greatest investment.
Lisa’s emphasis on directing arts and cultural funding towards places that have been overlooked is therefore an important one.
Wigan’s identity has been shaped by generations of working people, by music and performance, by sport and by the organisations that bring neighbours together. That heritage is something to build on, not simply look back upon.
Investing in culture can help young people discover their potential, bring communities together and give local talent the chance to flourish.
It also reinforces a wider Labour principle: everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy a richer life, not just those who can afford it.
A proud Labour tradition — and a responsibility for the future
Throughout her speech, Lisa connected the Government’s ambitions with the achievements of previous Labour generations.
She reflected on the people who fought for equal pay, comprehensive education and racial equality, often facing resistance but continuing because they believed a fairer society was possible.
That history is a reminder that progress has never happened simply because people in power decided to make it happen. It has come through campaigning, solidarity and the determination of ordinary people to demand something better.
The same spirit must guide us today.
Turning national ambition into local action
Speeches at Conference matter, but what matters most is what happens afterwards.
The test of these commitments will be whether young people see real improvements in their lives: more accessible activities, stronger youth services, better protection online and greater opportunities to participate in sport and culture.
For Wigan Labour, that means continuing to champion our communities, listening to young people and working to ensure that national investment makes a tangible difference locally.
It means recognising the important work already undertaken by youth workers, teachers, volunteers, coaches, artists and community organisations — and giving them the support they need to continue.
It also means involving young people themselves in decisions about their futures. They should not simply be the subject of government policy; they should have a voice in shaping it.
Wigan has always understood the value of people standing together and looking out for one another. We know that strong communities are built through investment, opportunity and a willingness to make sure nobody is left behind.
Now we need to turn that principle into action for the next generation.
No young person forgotten. No community written off. No potential left untapped.
That is the challenge Lisa Nandy has put before us — and it is one that Wigan Labour should be proud to take forward.
Read Lisa Nandy’s full speech to Labour Party Conference 2026 on the Labour Party website.