What’s going on at the party conferences 2024
As the weather cools down and the nights draw in, it’s time once again for public affairs professionals to descend upon towns and cities across the country for the annual party conferences.
The Liberal Democrats finished up yesterday in Brighton, and the next few weeks will see the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool (22-25 September) followed by the Conservative Party Conference the week after in Birmingham (29 September – 2 October).
Following the seismic change in the makeup of parliament following the general election in the summer, anticipation is high. We decided to put together a list of events that Bond and our members are hosting this year, across the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences.
These events are a chance to engage politicians with the incredible work done by our sector and shape policy debates about the future of international development, as well as liaise with colleagues in the sector. In a year with a significant number of new MPs, the opportunity for engagement is great. We’ll be at all the major conference, and we hope to see as many of you there as possible.
Bond events
Labour Party
Sunday 22nd September
Bond Drinks Reception with LCID (Labour Campaign for International Development) – 20:00 – 21:30
Location: Arena Room 3, ACC
Speakers: Anneliese Dodds MP – Minister for International Development, Emily Thornberry MP – newly elected Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, David Taylor MP, Paulette Hamilton MP, Romilly Greenhill (Bond CEO), Heather Staff (Labour Campaign for International Development)
Monday 23rd September
Progressive realism: What does this mean for international development? – Bond with LFPG (Labour Foreign Policy Group) and the Scottish International Development Alliance – 10:00 – 11:00
Location: The Botanist, Albert Dock
Speakers: Emily Thornberry MP – newly elected Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Romilly Greenhill (Bond CEO), Peymana Assad (LPFG), Frances Guy (SIDA), more speakers tbc
Monday 23rd September
Labour’s vision for equitable international development partnerships– Bond with StopAIDS – 14:00 – 15:00
Location: The Botanist, Albert Dock
Speakers: TBC
Global Health reception in partnership with Malaria No More and Bond – 15:00 – 16:30
Location: The Botanist, Albert Dock
Speakers: Speakers include Minister Catherine West, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the FCDO, Jess Toale MP, Peymana Assad (LFPG), Heather Staff (LCID) and Victoria Fowler (Malaria no More)
Conservative Party Conference
Sunday 29th September
20.30-22.00
Location: Andante Room, Hyatt Regency Birmingham
Speakers: Andrew Mitchell MP – Shadow Foreign Secretary, Romilly Greenhill (Bond CEO), more speakers tbc
Member events
22 September 2024
HALO
“Tackling Conflict in a Volatile World”. ACC Arena Room 1 Hosted by HALO, MAG, LFPG & LCID. – 17:00 – 18:30
Action Against Hunger, United Against Malnutrition and Hunger
Partnerships for Change: Improving Health and Nutrition Outcomes for Women and Girls – 12:30-14:00
Protection Approaches, Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights, Kings College London Centre for Grand Strategy
Atrocity Prevention and Progressive Realism: The Future of UK Grand Strategy – 17:00 – 18:30
Corporate Justice Coalition
Attending and joint event with Labour Campaign for Human Rights, hosted by SME4Labour: Making it work: implementing a Business, Human Rights and Environment Act – 14:00
23 September 2024
Send My Friend to School and Oxfam
Roundtable focused on Education in Emergencies and Education financing with Send My Friend Campaign Champions and Chairperson (TBC). Open event in Youth Zone. – 4:15
Malaria No More UK
Breakfast Roundtable – life science focus – 8:30 – 10:00
Panel Event – Gavi/Global Fund focus – 12:00 – 13:30
CARE International UK (with LCID and LFPG)
Leonardo Hotel, Meeting Room 1 “Feminism: a Catalyst for Labour’s Progressive realism?” 17:00 – 18:30
Sightsavers
Exhibition stall incorporating work on sight, disability inclusion/rights and NTDs
Oxfam, Christian Aid, Cafod
Breakfast Roundtable – 9.30-10.30 AM
NEU
How tackling the global teacher shortage can unlock the UK’s development agenda – ACC 6, Youth Zone – 10.30 – 11.30
24 September 2024
UNICEF UK
Panel event on global health and development with Chatham House, GSK and UNICEF UK – 9am – 10am
