Annual Conference 2018 | Reshaping Britain: Europe and Labour’s new economy

Our national conference will bring Open Labour supporters together with thinkers and activists from across the left to turn our efforts towards campaigning within Labour: fighting for a left which is broad, principled, and can win. We will also get to learn about some of the best left ideas being brought forward from local and regional government.

Conference Agenda

11.00-11.30 Registration

11.30-11.40 Welcome to Open Labour:

▧ Cllr Tom Miller, Open Labour Chair

11.40 – 12.20 AGM

Led by Laura Pascal Chaired by Ann Black, Labour NEC

Annual Review – Presentation by Cllr Tom Miller

Annual Accounts –16/17 and 17/18 – Presentation by Alex Sobel MP

Constitutional Amendments

12.20 – 1.10 Panel Debate

▧ Philip Glanville – Mayor of Hackney

▧ Cllr Bev Craig – Cabinet Member, Adult Social Care and Health – Manchester City Council

▧ Cllr Candice Atterton – Cabinet Member, Adult Social Care and Health – Hounslow Council

▧ Cllr Alice Perry – Labour Party NEC

Chair – Sarah Owen, GMB

1.10 – 2.00 Lunch Break 

2.00 – 3.30 Discussion of Position Paper

Led by Cllr Tom Miller, Chair and Rachael Ward, Committee Member

3.30 – 4.00 Keynote Speaker – Rt Hon John McDonnell, Shadow Chancellor

4.00 – 5.00 Launch of Owning the future – the left’s relationship with Europe

▧ Catherine West MP

▧ Allison Roche – European Policy Officer, UNISON (TBC)

▧ Alex Sobel MP

▧ Manuel Cortes – TSSA General Secretary

Chaired – Emma Burnell, Editor Open Labour

Ann Black Labour NEC to chair the policy session with a special Ann Black for NEC session at lunchtime.

5.00 Finish

5.15 Social at local venue

A year on from Labour’s game-changing 2017 manifesto, the challenges are as great as ever. As a country we are confronting the prospect of leaving the EU without any measures in place to replace its rules and institutions, challenging Labour’s anti-austerity platform.

The task of reconciling cosmopolitan and socially conservative voters still stands as a challenge for socialists. The gig economy continues to develop, and a generation of young people face a crisis in their living standards and aspirations.

Britain’s relationship with Europe is still the biggest challenge the country and the Labour Party faces. Open Labour’s conference will launch our first ever Pamphlet ‘Owning the Future: The Left’s Relationship with Europe’ in association with Unison (the public sector workers’ union) and the authors Catherine West, Alex Sobel, Allison Roche from Unison will debate Europe alongside Emily Chapman of Our Future Our Choice.

The pamphlet will outline our options and explain what each would mean for the UK. The pamphlet features guest essays by former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and Manuel Cortes (General Secretary of the TSSA). A free copy will be given to every delegate! Open Labour will also debate our own European position based on ‘Owning the Future: The Left’s Relationship with Europe’

Building the Open Left

Our national conference will bring Open Labour supporters together with thinkers and activists from across the left to turn our efforts towards campaigning within Labour: fighting for a left which is broad, principled, and can win. We will also get to learn about some of the best left ideas being brought forward from local and regional government.

We will begin the day by announcing our internal election results, with debates and votes on how our own organisation can push forward after a year full of unexpected events. We are grassroots led, so what our members think will be what matters most.

Please join us at UCL for a day which promises to be both interesting and exciting. We will also be holding a social afterwards, watch this space for details.

To attend national conference you do not have to be a full (paying) member – however, only full members may vote in the AGM section of conference or vote in internal elections.

We are very happy to take new members who are members of the Labour Party or who are registered or affiliate supporters of the Labour Party, as long as you agree with our rules and values.

Ann Black for Labour NEC

Ann Black will be chairing the afternoon session from around 2.15. During the Lunch break Open Labour have organised a lunchtime organising meeting for Ann Black’s NEC campaign if you want to find out more about the campaign and help the campaign please attend. Open Labour are proud to support Ann’s campaign and the Conference will offer an opportunity immediately after the close of CLP nominations and before ballots are issued for Ann’s supporters to meet, probably the only time we can meet face to face with both Open Labour and Ann to discuss the campaign!