John Healey, the newly appointed chancellor, used his first Labour Party conference address to outline a vision for revitalising Britain's industrial base. He declared that the country's coal mines would not return, but argued that the government would rebuild the industrial sector for the modern era by supporting advanced manufacturing. The speech, delivered in Liverpool, was framed as an effort to present a positive outlook for British industry ahead of the upcoming budget. Healey announced plans to strengthen the shipbuilding sector, including the construction of three new floating docks at HM Naval Base Clyde in Faslane. These docks, part of a broader £15bn upgrade programme for Royal Navy shipyards, are intended to support the next generation of submarines and are slated for service in the early 2030s. Funding for a new marine research vessel, also scheduled for deployment in the early 2030s, was confirmed at £115m. The initiative was presented as part of a broader strategy to enhance national security and economic resilience. Critics, including shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith, described the proposals as lacking financial clarity and labelled them as recycled announcements. Union leaders welcomed the focus on shipbuilding, noting that previous contracts had been awarded overseas, often to subsidised foreign yards. The chancellor also referenced plans to revive a union-run training programme, allocating £15m from existing budgets to support skill development in areas such as advanced manufacturing and digital competencies. The move comes amid broader economic uncertainty, with the Confederation of British Industry warning of declining activity in retail, services and manufacturing. The CBI highlighted rising energy and employment costs, weak demand and fiscal pressures as factors dampening business confidence ahead of the budget. Labour's approach to industrial policy has drawn both support and scrutiny from various sectors, with some emphasizing the need for concrete funding details and others underscoring the importance of reindustrialisation efforts.