How was the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives for you and your organisation?
2025 had many highlights for the Co-operative Party, but one which stood out for me was standing in the Downing Street garden with a number of figures from the UK co-operative movement as the UK government, represented by a senior Labour/Co-operative secretary of state, underscored their commitment to our movement and its world leading commitment to work to double the size of the co-operative and mutual sector. Over the years, I have been frustrated that our country hasn’t ensured that it has an encouraging environment for co-operative growth, and through 2025 I have been heartened to see that begin to change with recent announcements of new development support, regulator action, and inclusion within existing finance schemes.
Of course, we still have much to do. I think the Co-operative Party has had one of our strongest years ever: we’ve seen our visibility and impact increase, our Community Britain campaign develop and become a big success, and many of our pre-general election priorities already become legislation.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank the team, members (individual and organisational), supporters and elected representatives for their continued support for the Party through 2025 – these successes wouldn’t have been possible without them.
What are your hopes for 2026?
I go towards 2026 full of optimism and vim. Next year I want to ensure that we get as many co-operators at decision-making tables as possible through important elections. I want to ensure that the Party continues and strengthens our work in living up to our mission of politically representing, promoting and defending the co-operative movement in all its guises.
We have a big opportunity to develop our Community Britain campaign, and I want it to influence how British politics at large understands the importance of empowered communities and its role in developing and supporting them.
I’m looking forward to working with partners in the co-operative and mutual movement to ensure that we finish 2026 in even better shape than we leave 2025.
