All Together Money Highlights Positive Engagement at Labour Party Conference

02/10/2026

All Together Money has welcomed a positive few days of engagement at Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, with Chief Executive, Matt Bland taking the opportunity to meet with ministers, policymakers, credit unions and leaders from across the co-operative, mutual and financial services sectors.

The conversations have provided an opportunity to highlight the role credit unions can play in strengthening financial inclusion and resilience, while exploring how the wider co-operative and mutual sector can contribute to the Government’s ambitions for growth.

A key focus has been continuing the conversation with Lucy Rigby KC MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, on how to grow the scale and impact of credit unions and their contribution to savings and financial resilience.

Matt took part in a fringe meeting focused on growing co-operatives and mutuals in line with the Government’s ambition to double the size of the sector. The discussion brought together voices from across the movement and provided an opportunity to consider how the sector can build on its contribution across the economy.

The Government has previously set out its commitment to doubling the size of the co-operative and mutuals sector, alongside measures aimed at supporting community finance and exploring reform of the common bond framework for credit unions.

Matt also joined a roundtable focused on financial inclusion, chaired by Gareth Thomas MP, where discussions explored a range of measures to improve people’s access to financial products and build financial resilience.

These included the potential for expanding payroll savings and opt-out savings models, building on research and work in the area, as well as opportunities to reform Help to Save so that it reaches more of the people who could benefit from it. The discussion also considered access to affordable and appropriate insurance and the role of credit unions and other providers in expanding access to affordable credit.

On Monday, Matt joined colleagues from Mutuals & Co-ops Together to discuss the Government’s doubling agenda with The Lord Leong CBE, Minister responsible for co-operatives and mutuals at the Department for Business and Trade.

The discussions reinforced the breadth of the co-operative and mutual sector, with member-owned organisations operating across a wide range of industries and communities and contributing to the Government’s wider ambitions for sustainable economic growth.

Matt Bland, Chief Executive of All Together Money, said: “It has been a great few days of engagement at the Labour Party Conference and encouraging to see such a strong focus on the contribution that co-operatives, mutuals and credit unions can make to financial inclusion, resilience and growth.

“There have been some really positive and constructive conversations about how we can grow the scale and impact of credit unions, particularly through savings, affordable credit and greater access to financial services.

“Thank you to the credit unions who have shared their experiences, ideas and ambitions to inform these discussions. Their contribution is vital in demonstrating the impact the movement is already having and the opportunities to reach more people in the future.

“We are also grateful to Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby KC MP for her continuing engagement with the credit union movement and our role in financial inclusion and for taking the time to hear directly about the opportunities and challenges facing the sector.

“There is a real opportunity for Government, regulators, credit unions and our wider network of partners to work together to build on the support already being provided to the sector and deliver greater reach and impact.

“I’d like to thank our friends and colleagues in the co-op and mutual sector with whom we collaborated on a range of conference activity, as well as our partners at Fair4All Finance who continue to champion financial inclusion.

“I’d also like to thank the Co-operative Party team for putting together such a strong programme of events and creating valuable opportunities for the co-operative and mutual movement to make its contribution to these important conversations.”