Conservative Party Conference 2019

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Is welfare reform working? Poverty and hunger in modern Britain

Sunday 29th September 2019: 12:45-14:00
Jury’s Inn Manchester, Rochdale Suite

The Rt Hon Therese Coffey MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Invited)
Deven Ghelani, Director and Founder, Policy in Practice
Paul Johnson, Director, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Heather Walters, Spokesperson, Church Action on Poverty
Kartik Raj, Western Europe Researcher, Human Rights Watch
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

Britain’s future relationship with the EU

Sunday 29th September 2019: 16:00-17:15
Manchester Central, Cobden 2

The Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP, Former Minister for the Foreign Office
Dr Günter Krings MdB, Parliamentary State Secretary, German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community
Asa Bennett, Brexit Commissioning Editor, The Telegraph
John Springford, Deputy Director, Centre for European Reform
Felix Dane, Director, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (Co-chair)
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue (Co-chair)

Forgotten about families? The conservative case for investing in children

Sunday 29th September 2019: 18:00-19:15
Manchester Central, Cobden 2

Lord David Willetts, Executive Chair, Resolution Foundation
Jo Casebourne, Chief Executive, Early Intervention Foundation
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue
Alison Garnham, Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group
Ayesha Hazarika, Editor, The Londoner, Evening Standard (Chair)

Drink Tank

Sunday 29th September 2019: 21:30-23:00
Midland Hotel, Stanley Suite

The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party
Andy Street CBE, Mayor of the West Midlands
Brigid Simmonds OBE, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue (Co-chair)

An authoritarian turn? How can Britain best stand up for individual rights around the world?

Monday 30th September 2019: 08:15-09:30
Manchester Central, Cobden 2

The Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP, Chair, Intelligence and Security Committee
Peter Oborne, Former Chief Political Commentator, The Daily Telegraph
Kolbassia Haoussou, Co-Founder and Coordinator, Survivors Speak OUT
Sonya Sceats, Chief Executive, Freedom from Torture
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

Better work? Transforming corporate culture

Monday 30th September 2019: 10:45-12:00
This event is by invitation only

Gillian Keegan MP, Chair , APPG on Women and Work
Rosamund Urwin, Senior Reporter, The Sunday Times 
Professor Cary Cooper, Visiting Professor, Lancaster University Management School
Sian Hughes, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manger, Solicitors Regulation Authority
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

To the top of the ladder: the role of business in social mobility

Monday 30th September 2019: 12:45-14:00
Manchester Central, Cobden 2

The Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP, Minister for Industry and Business
The Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP,  Former Secretary of State for Education
Sonia Sodha, Deputy Opinion Editor, The Guardian
David Johnston OBE, Chief Executive, Social Mobility Foundation
John Cope, Head of Education and Skills, CBI
Anvar Sarygulov, Researcher, Bright Blue (Chair)

The new giant evil? Reducing loneliness and isolation

Monday 30th September 2019: 12:45-14:00
Jury’s Inn Manchester, Rochdale Suite

The Rt Hon Damian Green MP, Former First Secretary of State
Cllr David Simmonds, Deputy Chairman, Local Government Association
Professor Les Mayhew, Professor of Statistics, Cass Business School
Alex Smith, CEO, The Cares Family
Jane Ashcroft, CEO, Anchor Hanover Group
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

An end to aid? The path to reducing aid dependency

Monday 30th September 2019: 16:15-17:30
Manchester Central, Cobden 2

The Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP, Secretary of State for International Development
The Honourable Julia Gillard AC, Former Prime Minister, Australia and Chair, Global Partnership for Education
Ian Birrell, Contributing Editor, The Mail on Sunday
Simon Gill, Acting Executive Director, Overseas Development Institute
Jessie Nkhoma, Youth Advocate, Send My Friend and Pupil, Chilanga Community Secondary School in Kasungu, Malawi
Isaac Mzembe, Youth Advocate, Send My Friend and Pupil, Chilanga Community Secondary School in Kasungu, Malawi
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

Good capitalism? Making markets work

Monday 30th September 2019: 15:15-16:30
Jury’s Inn Manchester, Rochdale Suite

Jesse Norman MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Andrew Pendleton, Director of Policy and Advocacy, New Economics Foundation
Adrian Wooldridge, Political Editor, The Economist
Emma Revell, Communications Manager, Institute of Economic Affairs
The Rt Hon Lord Adebowale CBE, Chair, Social Enterprise UK
Diane Banks, Non-Executive Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

Plastic pollution: ending our throwaway culture

Monday 30th September 2019: 18:00-19:15
Manchester Central, Cobden 2

Rebecca Pow MP, Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Nick Molho, Executive Director, Aldersgate Group
Sandy Luk, Chief Executive, Marine Conservation Society
Bryan McCluskey, Circularity Director, Natural Source Waters Association
Michael Roberts, Chief Executive, Water UK
Patrick Hall, Researcher, Bright Blue (Chair)

Racing towards renewables? Keeping energy green and cheap for consumers

Monday 30th September 2019: 18:00-19:15
Jury’s Inn Manchester, Rochdale Suite

The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth
Victoria Hewson, Head of Regulatory Affairs and Research, Institute of Economic Affairs
Sam Hollister, Director of Economics and Corporate Services, Energy UK
Guy Newey, Strategy and Performance Director, Energy Systems Catapult
Carl Packman, Head of Corporate Engagement, Fair by Design
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

Towards net-zero

Monday 30th September 2019: 20:00-22:30
This event is by invitation only

George Freeman MP, Minister of Transport
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

A space to breathe: tackling air pollution

Tuesday 1st October 2019: 08:45-10:00
Jury’s Inn Manchester, Rochdale Suite

The Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Ben Webster, Environment Editor, The Times
Simon Alcock, Head of Public Affairs and Campaigning, ClientEarth
Tanya Ferry, Environment Manager, Port of London Authority
Amer Gaffar, Director, Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre, Manchester Metropolitan University
William Nicolle, Researcher, Bright Blue (Chair)

Working your way out of poverty: a living wage and living hours?

Tuesday 1st October 2019: 10:45-12:00
Jury’s Inn Manchester, Rochdale Suite

The Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP, Former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
David Skelton, Author, Little Platoons
Polly Toynbee, Columnist, The Guardian
Sam White, Group Sustainability and Public Policy Director, Aviva
Katherine Chapman, Director, Living Wage Foundation
Alexandra Jezeph, Non-Executive Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

Care in crisis? The state of elderly social care

Tuesday 1st October 2019: 12:45-14:00
Manchester Central, Cobden 2

Cllr Faye Purbrick, Somerset County Councillor
Caroline Abrahams, Director, Age UK
Ben Glover, Senior Researcher, Demos
Sam Monaghan, CEO, MHA
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

Fair and free: ensuring the integrity of elections in the UK

Tuesday 1st October 2019: 12:45-14:00
Jury’s Inn Manchester, Rochdale Suite

Damian Collins MP, Chair, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee
Daniel Hannan MEP
Professor Rachel Gibson, Professor of Political Science, University of Manchester
Hugo Rifkind, Columnist, The Times
Darren Hughes, Chief Executive, Electoral Reform Society
Alexandra Jezeph, Non-Executive Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

Taking the first step: help to get on the housing ladder

Tuesday 1st October 2019: 16:00-17:15
Manchester Central, Cobden 2

John Penrose MP, Chair, APPG Housing and Planning
Lord Gary Porter CBE, Former Chairman, Local Government Association
Lewis Goodall, Political Correspondent, Sky News
Nicholas Boys-Smith, Chairman, Building Better Building Beautiful Commission
Nick Jopling, Board Member, heylo housing
Alexandra Jezeph, Non-Executive Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

Changing childhood: how should a Conservative Government protect children?

Tuesday 1st October 2019: 15:15-16:30
Jury’s Inn Manchester, Rochdale Suite

Tom Tugendhat MP, Chair, Committee on Foreign Affairs (Invited)
Dr Michael Wiggelsworth, Senior Lecturer in Psychology of Education, The University of Manchester
Allison Pearson, Columnist, The Daily Telegraph
Julie Bentley, Chief Executive, Action for Children
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue (Chair)

Balancing act: skilled immigration after Brexit

Tuesday 1st October 2019: 18:00-19:15
Jury’s Inn Manchester, Rochdale Suite

Alberto Costa MP, Chair, APPG on Italy
Professor Rob Ford, Professor of Political Science, University of Manchester
Stephen Bush, Political Editor, New Statesman
Matthew Fell, Chief UK Policy Director, CBI
Ryan Shorthouse, Director, Bright Blue
Fatima Manji, Presenter, Channel 4 News (Chair)