| Ed Miliband's speech at Fabian New Year Conference 2011 |
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Our Fabian New Year Conference was held on Saturday 15 January The Conference kicked off the political year by seeking to connect Labour and a broader pluralist movement to map out the new political terrain. 900 delegates debated whether a 'next left' movement could build the majority coalition we need. Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, gave the morning's keynote speech. You can read a full transcript of it here. Other speakers included Douglas Alexander MP, Brendan Barber, Jon Cruddas MP, John Denham MP, Angela Eagle MP, Meg Hillier MP, Simon Hughes MP, Sadiq Khan MP, Deborah Mattinson, Mehdi Hasan, Polly Toynbee, Chuka Umunna MP.
FULL PROGRAMME The Twitter hashtag for this event will be #fab11. Follow the conversation here. The day's order 10.00-11.30: Keynote speech (Logan Hall)
11.30-13.00: Morning sessions 1. Is there an alternative? What is the political economy we want? (Jeffrey Hall) The Government has mapped out their choice of tax and spending cuts as the only credible deficit reduction plan. But what does an alternative political economy for a progressive majority look like?Confirmed speakers: Angela Eagle MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, James Forsyth, Political Editor of the Spectator, Adam Lent, Head of the Economic and Social Affairs Department (ESAD) at the TUC, Kitty Ussher, Director of Demos. 2. Open Labour: how can we mobilise power from below? (Drama Hall) Where and how can local power be used to pioneer alternatives, and how must party politics change to be both value-based and pluralist, if it is to mobilise and engage beyond traditional boundaries?Confirmed speakers: Rowenna Davis, freelance journalist, Dr Maurice Glasman, Senior Lecturer in Political Theory at London Metropolitan University, David Lammy MP, Councillor Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth council. 3. Challengers or collaborators: can progressives influence the coalition? Confirmed speakers: Douglas Alexander MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Siân Berry, the Green Party's candidate for the London Mayoral election in 2008, Simon Hughes MP, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, and Will Straw, Editor of Left Foot Forward. Confirmed speakers: James Crabtree, Comment Editor, Financial Times, Jon Cruddas MP, Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, Chuka Umunna MP, Tim Montgormerie, Editor of Conservative Home, Laurie Penny (The NewStatesman).
13.00-1400: Lunchtime 1. Lunch with the Young Fabians Squeezed Youth: how does Labour reconnect? The lunchtime session will be organised by Young Fabians, with all conference attendees welcome. Building upon their work over the last two years on reform of the Labour Party, they will exploring the ways in which Labour can (re)connect with young people both inside and outside of the party and demonstrating that the issues felt strongly by young people are not unique, but relevant to all. Confirmed speakers: Rushanara Ali MP, Bethnal Green and Bow, Dr Maurice Glasman, community organising expert and soon-to-be Labour peer, Adrian Prandle, Young Fabian Chair, Richard Serunjogi, Head of Policy for the Spirit of London Awards (SOLA) Foundation, and Jessica Studdert, co-author The New Generation and Facing Out on Labour Party reform. 2. What lessons for the future can we learn from Labour's record? (Jeffrey Hall) Confirmed speakers: Polly Toynbee (the Guardian) and David Walker
14.00-15.30: Afternoon sessions 1. The Democracy Challenge, kindly sponsored by Jessica Asato, Director of the Labour Yes to AV campaign, Anthony Barnett, Founder of openDemocracy, Jason Cowley, Editor of the New Statesman,John Denham MP, Shadow Business Secretary, Lord Michael Wills. 2. Fairness after the cuts: How do campaigners deal with the deficit? in association with Confirmed speakers: Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary, Tom Clark (the Guardian), Sunny Hundal (Liberal Conspiracy & False Economy), Deborah Mattinson, BritainThinks, and Trevor Phillips, Chair of Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). 3. Green Gloom: Can we take the environment out of the box? (Drama Studio) Why are the greens loosing ground in the public debate? Where can we find positive and engaging environmental campaigning, and how can we bring this message into the mainstream? Confirmed speakers: Joss Garman, climate campaign activist at Greenpeace UK and Co-Founder of Plane Stupid, Meg Hillier MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Tim Horton, Research Director at the Fabian Society, Michael Jacobs, a visiting fellow on climate change at LSE, Peter Kellner, President of YouGov. 4. Narrowing Horizons: can we remain internationalists in an age of austerity? (Elvin Hall) What do domestic cuts mean for our place in the world order? What presence should we now have on the international stage balancing both UK and European priorities?Confirmed speakers: Wayne David MP, Kirsty Hughes, Head of Policy and Advocacy at Oxfam, Sunder Katwala, General Secretary of the Fabian Society, Jude Kelly, Artistic Director at the Southbank Centre, and Ania Skrzypek, Policy Advisor at the Foundation for European Progressive Studies. Dragons Den – Radical ideas for a progressive majority (Logan Hall) Confirmed speakers: Mehdi Hasan, Senior Editor (Politics) at the New Statesman, Sadiq Khan MP, Chair of the Fabian Society, Deborah Mattinson, BritainThinks, Mary Riddell, columnist at the Daily Telegraph.
There was live blogging and coverage on the Fabian Next Left Blog and on Left Foot Forward. There was also coverage through the day on the New Statesman and Guardian sites. |
Next Left: What is the alternative?
