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Day two at Conservative conference 2023: The Spectator guide

Kemi Badenoch (Credit: Getty images)

It’s day two of the Conservative party conference in Manchester and attendees are shaking off last night’s merriment to get stuck into today’s agenda. Today’s highlights include speeches by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch, while over on the fringe circuit there’s a range of interesting events covering themes from education, Ukraine and China. The Spectator kicks off its jam-packed programme of conference panel events.

Main agenda:

Morning session

11:00 – Speech by Energy and Net Zero Secretary, Claire Coutinho MP

11:15 – Speech by Transport Secretary, Mark Harper MP

11:30 – Speech by Culture Secretary, Lucy Frazer MP

Afternoon session

14:00 – Speech by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt MP

14:15 – Speech by Business and Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch MP

14:30 – Speech by Work and Pensions Secretary, Mel Stride MP

14:45 – Speech by Environment Secretary, Therese Coffey MP

15:00 – Speech by Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan MP

Fringe events:

8:00 – What next for defence and foreign policy?

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly join a Royal United Services institute panel to discuss what’s next for the UK, Stanley suite – Midland Hotel

8:30 – Beyond the school gates: Overcoming barriers to education

CSJ panel with Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, Ian Duncan Smith MP, Harriet Sergeant, Lindsey MacDonald, Elijah Denning, Jessica Prestidge, Central Room 7

10:00 – Criminally deprived? How the cost of living is affecting youth crime

Kit Malthouse MP and Tory London Mayoral candidate Susan Hall AM join Jon Yates, Pavan Dhaliwal, Fiona Hamilton, David Gauke, Diane Banks, Central 6

10:30 – How can the UK use trade to support Ukraine’s post-war growth?

Nusrat Ghani MP, Jim Bowden, Mark Wallace, ConservativeHome Marquee

11:00 – The battle for viewers: TV in a digital age

John Whittingdale MP, Alison Lomax and Jonathan Allen join Fraser Nelson to discuss the battle for media attention, Exchange 11

11:00 – Have we got China wrong?

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly joins Cindy Yu for a live podcast recording of Chinese Whispers, Exchange 6 & 7

11:30 – How do we fix the housing crisis?

Rachel Maclean MP, Ben Everitt MP and Henry Hill discuss the challenges facing the UK’s housing supply, G1 – Friends’ Meeting House Manchester

12:00 – Great British Growth Rally

QLT Strategic panel with Liz Truss MP, Priti Patel MP and Simon Clarke MP, Trafford Room – Midland Hotel

12:30 – The 26 million: how to care for people living with long-term health conditions

Isabel Hardman hosts a panel with Guy Opperman MP, Lord Bethell of Romford, Georgina Carr, Richard Sloggett and Tod Manning how to make the NHS and politicians more accountable, Exchange 11 

12:30 – Sense or censorship: is the Online Safety Bill a threat to free speech?

Fraser Nelson in conversation with Silke Carlo, Exchange 6 & 7 

13:00 – Can the Tories win?

Lee Anderson MP, Lord Daniel Hannan of Kingsclere and Tim Congdon, Friends’ Meeting House

14:00 – Coffee House Shots Live

Fraser Nelson, Katy Balls, Kate Andrews and Frank Lutz, Exchange 11

15:30 – Unleashing British trade: what happened to the Global Britain dream?

Kate Andrews hosts Nusrat Ghani MP, Lord Frost, Sam Lowe, Lou Cordwell and Marco Forgione to discuss whether the UK has really embraced its ability to forge new trade deals, Exchange 11

15:30 – Has Brexit failed?

Katy Balls in conversation with John Redwood MP, Theresa Villiers MP, Camilla Cavendish, Charles Grant and Vote Leave founder Matthew Elliott, Exchange 6 & 7

17:00 – The future of Britain: is it easier, or harder than ever, to transform society?

Katy Balls hosts Andrew Griffith MP, Tim Stanley, James Johnson, Kelly Beaver and Sam Sharps, Exchange 11

17:00 – Is Rishi Sunak right about Rwanda?

Fraser Nelson and Kate Andrews go head to head, Exchange 6 & 7

18:00 – Sustainable aviation drinks reception

Join Transport Secretary Mark Harper to discuss how government and the aviation industry can work together to deliver ‘jet zero’ by 2050, Heathrow Lounge – MCCC

19:00 – Justice for Ukraine reception

Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt, Victoria Prentis MP, Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko, Ryan Baldry, Exchange 2 & 3

21:30 – Drinks with Jake Berry MP and PoliticsHome 

Derby Suite, Midland Hotel

22:30 – Next Gen Tories drinks reception

Join Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt for drinks and a raffle, hosted by the Next Gen Tories, Victoria Suite, Midland Hotel

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