Putting Children's Health On The Political Agenda
05 Oct 2026
Young people are crashing the party: taking the issues that matter straight to power. This Autumn, our activists visited the Labour Party Conference to meet party leaders, and share their vision for the future.
Party Conferences are held by every political party to bring party members together, share ideas and discuss policies. But why is it important for young people to be part of the conversation?
A gust of wind and youth power took Bite Back activists Sienna, Toby and Kaz to Liverpool, where they had one goal: put children’s health on the political agenda.
On Day 1 of the Labour Party Conference we met with the Minister for Education, Paul Waugh, who holds the keys on the future of school food in England. Our activists grilled him, and challenged him to make sure the new English School Food Standards stick.
Young people have been calling for stronger School Food Standards for years, but the new standards are only the beginning.
In our meeting with the minister, our activists called for better support for schools to help them put standards into practice, and talked about what real, meaningful change in school canteens across England could look like.
And when Kaz, Toby and Sienna weren’t shaping the health of a generation in sit-down meetings, they were immersing themselves in the atmosphere, catching as many MPs and ministers as possible.
But the real highlight? We added our own flavour to the heart of power, by hosting a Bite Back drop-in event about our campaigns, and the work we’re doing with young people in schools, local areas, and across nations.
And here’s why it matters: in the very city where the Labour leaders were meeting, our #CommercialBreak campaign has exposed the stark truth about England’s food environment. In our research, the second largest proportion of food and drink adverts were found in Liverpool (86 of 179, 48%), with just under half of these featuring an unhealthy product. [1]
For our activists, this was their biggest opportunity to get as many decision-makers on board as possible to put children’s health first — not just the junk food brands lobbying for their own interests.
Getting their voices heard and amplified is something our activists are raring to do, but it’s something they wouldn’t be able to do without your support, and the support of MPs on our side.
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