The Spectator is delighted to return to Conservative party conference in Birmingham this year, where we’ll be hosting a packed schedule of entertaining fringe events.
Every event includes a free G&T. Make sure to come early to get a seat – or reserve one to jump the queue! Tickets are £5 and all ticket money will be donated to Jericho, a local charity.
Our full schedule is below:
Sunday 2 October
4.30pm – 5.30pm
Come pick up our conference programme, grab a G&T, and say hello to the Spectator team.
The Spectator Conference Launch – Hall 7 ICC (Secure Zone)
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Monday 3 October
12.00pm – 1.00pm
What does ‘levelling up’ really mean?
With a new Prime Minister, are the Conservatives still committed to Boris Johnson’s levelling up programme? Michael Gove sought to give it a detailed definition, but will that survive this government? Join The Spectator and special guests as they discuss whether levelling up is still the Tories’ rallying cry.
Location: Hall 7, ICC (Secure Zone)
Chair: Katy Balls
Speakers: Ben Houchen, Tees Valley Mayor; Tony Danker, director general, CBI: Dehenna Davison MP, PPS for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities; Dhara Vyas, acting CEO, EnergyUK.
Sponsor: Drax
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2.00pm – 3.00pm
Unleashing British trade: are Brexit powers being used to full potential?
It has been six years since the Brexit vote. Exports are well below what Brexiteers had hoped for. Join The Spectator and special guests as they discuss what more can be done to boost exports and whether there are any levers left for government to pull.
Location: Hall 7, ICC (Secure Zone)
Chair: Katy Balls
Speakers: Kemi Badenoch, Secretary of State for International Trade; Anthony Mangnall MP; Baroness Mobarik; Robert Colvile, director, Centre for Policy Studies; John Carroll, head of international and transactional banking, Santander.
Sponsor: Santander
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3.30pm – 4.30pm
The nuclear option: can nuclear power provide energy security?
As the price of fossil fuels surge, is it time to ask if Britain can do more with nuclear energy? Join The Spectator and special guests for a live panel discussion about the coming energy crisis and the viability of solutions.
Location: Hall 7, ICC (Secure Zone)
Chair: Cindy Yu
Speakers: Bim Afolami MP; Tom Greatrex, chief executive, NIA; Dhara Vyas, acting CEO, EnergyUK; Andy Mayer, energy analyst, Institute of Economic Affairs.
Sponsor: NIA
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5.00pm – 6.00pm
Can tech pull Britain out of its economic slump?
Official forecasts suggest Britain’s economy will flatline for years unless something changes. Liz Truss’s government has identified reform as one means of doing it. But does tech offer a means of speeding things up? Join The Spectator and special guests to find out how technology can aid the next boom for Britain.
Location: Hall 7, ICC (Secure Zone)
Chair: Kate Andrews
Speakers: Chris Philp MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury; Gerard Lyons, economist; Steve Hare, CEO, Sage; Olly Batrum, Senior Analyst, Institute for Government.
Sponsor: Sage
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6.30pm – 7.30pm
Out and into the world: Building a more innovative Britain after Brexit
Cutting red tape was a core pledge of Liz Truss’s campaign. She said she would succeed where previous prime ministers have not. But what are her chances? Join The Spectator and special guests as they discuss the aftermath of one of the most disruptive economic periods in living memory. Can regulatory overhaul help deliver the post-Brexit boom this government has promised?
Location: Hall 7, ICC (Secure Zone)
Chair: Fraser Nelson
Speakers: Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Conor Burns MP, Trade minister; Mark Garnier MP; Annabel Denham, head of communications, Institute of Economic Affairs; John Boumphrey, Country Manager, Amazon.
Sponsor: Amazon
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Tuesday 4 October
11.30pm – 12.30pm
Can Aukus shift the balance in the Pacific?
Liz Truss has spoken about an axis of liberty becoming the basis of Britain’s foreign policy. The Aukus alliance is a cornerstone of new security architecture. Join The Spectator’s Cindy Yu and special guests as they explore what this means, what’s to come, and whether the alliance is an effective basis for containing China.
Location: Executive 7, ICC (Secure Zone)
Chair: Cindy Yu
Speakers: Tom Tugendhat MP, Security Minister of State for Security; Alicia Kearns MP, Member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee; Sophia Gaston, director, The British Foreign Policy Group; Sir Martin Donnelly, President, Boeing Europe.
Sponsor: Boeing
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12pm – 1pm
How to get to Britain building
For years the Tories have promised to hit ambitious building targets. What can be done to deliver the buildings Britain needs? Join The Spectator’s Kate Andrews and special guests as they discuss the solutions to one of the most vexing issues in British politics.
Location: Hall 7, ICC (Secure Zone)
Chair: Kate Andrews
Speakers: Lee Rowley MP, Housing & Planning Minister; Muniya Barua, managing director (policy & strategy), BusinessLDN; Nicholas Boys Smith, director, Create Streets; Rob Heasman, CEO, Earl’s Court Development Company
Sponsor: Earl’s Court Development Company
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2.00pm – 3.00pm
How can the ‘green transition’ boost Britain’s economic growth?
The energy debate has been transformed in the last few months, with fuel security becoming a new priority. What does this mean for the net zero agenda, which a Truss government has pledged to protect? Join The Spectator’s James Forsyth and special guests, in association with EY, as they discuss what, if any, changes are needed to the net zero agenda now.
Location: Hall 7, ICC (Secure Zone)
Chair: James Forsyth
Speakers: Graham Stuart MP, Minister of State for Climate; Virginia Crosbie MP; Alexander Stafford MP, APPG for net-zero; Valentine Quinio, analyst, Centre for Cities; Alison Kay, managing partner for client service, EY.
Sponsor: EY
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2.00pm – 3.00pm
Join The Spectator’s Katy Balls and special guests as they debate non-domiciled tax status. Is it a justified tax break, or should it be scrapped altogether?
Location: Executive 7, ICC (Secure Zone)
Chair: Katy Balls
Speakers: Andrew Griffith MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury; Fraser Nelson, editor, The Spectator; Tom Clougherty, research director, Centre for Policy Studies; Arun Advani, impact director, Centre for Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy.
Sponsor: CAGE
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3.30pm – 4.30pm
Modern conflict: can Britain fight tomorrows wars?
Join The Spectator’s Fraser Nelson and special guests as they assess the West’s ability to deter conflict and defend its interests, and discuss how the UK’s armed forces can harness innovation to retain its edge against newer, technological threats.
Location: Hall 7, ICC (Secure Zone)
Chair: Fraser Nelson
Speakers: James Heappey MP, Minister of State for the Armed Forces and Veterans; Dr Liam Fox MP, Former Secretary of State for Defence; Professor Michael Clarke, visiting professor in the department of war studies, King’s College London; Louis Mosley, head, Palantir London Office.
Sponsor: Palantir
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3.30pm – 4.30pm
The Elgin Marbles or The Parthenon Sculptures: what is the solution?
How can we justify keeping the Elgin marbles in the British Museum? Join The Spectator’s James Forsyth and special guests as they discuss how to bring an end to the Parthenon Sculptures dispute.
Location: Executive 7, ICC (Secure Zone)
Chair: James Forsyth
Speakers: Lord Vaizey, Former Culture Minister; Sarah Baxter, columnist, Sunday Times; Lord Parkinson, former Minister for Arts; Madeline Grant, parliamentary sketchwriter for the Daily Telegraph.
Sponsor: The Parthenon Project
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6.45pm – 7.30pm
Fraser Nelson in conversation with Rt Hon Suella Braverman KC MP
Location: Hall 7, ICC
Speakers: Suella Braverman, Home Secretary; Fraser Nelson, editor, The Spectator.
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