Labour Conference 2011

A collection of posts and information about my first Labour conference and my first trip to Liverpool. The conference is a huge annual event and this year takes place from the 25th-29th September.

Contents:

  1. Introduction
  2. Conference in Pictures
  3. Pre-Conference
  4. John Goes to Conference
    • Day Zero: Saturday (getting there)
    • Day One: Sunday
    • Day Two: Monday
    • Day Three: Tuesday
    • Day Four: Wednesday
    • Day Five: Thursday
    • Day Six: Friday (and back again)
  5. Post-Conference

1. Introduction

This year I am attending my first (of many, I hope) Labour Conference in Liverpool as the delegate for Angus CLP (Constituency Labour Party).

It’s a great honour, and rather exciting. The trouble is, the programme is so chock full that I don’t think I’m going to remember everything I’ve been to, or the important things I’m hearing unless I write about it at the time. So I’m going to try and blog my way through conference. I’ll put links to all my conference related posts on this page, and I’ll be writing as much as I can.

If you are going to conference too, then give me a tweet (@jruddy99) and we can arrange to meet up.  It’s my first time there, and I’m not going with anyone, so the company would be grand. Also let me now if there are any fringe events you think I shouldn’t miss, tips about where to eat or what stands to go and say ‘hello’ to.

2. Conference in Pictures

[Arriving Shortly!]

3. Pre-Conference

The first post I wrote about going to conference: John Goes to Conference

4. John Goes to Conference

Series of blog posts about 2011 Labour Conference

  • Day Zero: Saturday 24th (getting there)

In which I travelled to Liverpool for conference by train and attended the delegates reception.

Posts:

  1. Refounding Labour (part 1)
    Initial impression of Refounding Labour documents read on train to Liverpool
  2. Sparks Effect
    Thoughts on electrification inspired by journey to conference
  3. Let Ed be Ed
    Hearing Ed Miliband in person for the first time

  • Day One: Sunday 25th

Conference opens.
Conference Agenda: NEC Chair & General Secretary Addresses; Obituaries and Awards; Policy Review Report; London 2012; NPF Report; Refounding Labour.

Posts:

  1. Refounding Labour (part 2)
    How I voted on Refounding Labour changes and why

  • Day Two: Monday 26th

Conference Agenda: Welsh & European Reports; Britain in the World (Harriet Harman – Int. Development, Jim Murphy – Defence, Douglas Alexander – Foreign Policy); Prosperity and Work (Ed Balls – Economy, John Denham – Business, Maria Eagle – Transport, Liam Byrne – Work & Pensions); Scottish Report (Ann McKechin & Iain Gray)

Policy Seminar Attended: Greener Britain
Fringe Events Attended: Sustainable Intensification of Agriculture, Transport, Children’s Rights, Irish Societies

Posts:

  1. Defence and the Economy
    Jim Murphy on Defence and Ed Balls on the Economy in morning session
  2. Sustainable Intensification
    Agricultural fringe event on grass reared livestock
  3. Unions, Scotland and the Fringe
    Afternoon session: Unison on Public Sector Pensions, Iain Gray on Scotland; A policy seminar on a Greener Britain and a transport fringe event
  4. Evening Fringe
    UNICEF event on Children’s Rights and The Importance of Being Irish

  • Day Three: Tuesday 27th

Conference Agenda: Co-op Party Speaker (Postponed till Wednesday); Strong Sustainable Communities (Mary Creagh – Environment, Meg Hillier – Energy & Climate Change, Angela Eagle – Economy, Ivan Lewis – Culture, Media & Sport); Leader’s Speech – Ed Miliband
Fringe Events: Untying the knot: breaking the link between transport and oil, Children’s Mental Health, Railways, Localism & the High Street (Co-op)

Posts:

  1. Oil and Coffee for Breakfast
    Fringe event on reducing oil dependency in transport
  2. Ed’s Speech
    My initial reaction to Ed’s Speech
  3. Tying Children to the Railways in the High Street
    Fringe events on Children’s Mental Health, Railways and Localism & the High Street

  • Day Four: Wednesday 28th

Conference Agenda: TUC Speaker; Treasurer & Auditors Reports; Crime, Justice, Citizenship and Equalities (Sadiq Khan – Justice, Yvette Cooper – Home Office, Tessa Jowell – Cabinet Office); Health (John Healey); Education (Andy Burnham); Leader Q&A (Ed Miliband)
Policy Seminar Attended:
Fringe Events Attended: Financial Exclusion

Posts:

  1. Financial Exclusion
    A morning fringe event addressing people’s access to bank accounts that help them manage their finances
  2. Questions and Friends
    Questioning how to get called at conference, Ed Miliband’s Q&A session and meeting some friends, old and new.

  • Day Five: Thursday 29th

Conference Agenda: Northern Ireland Report; Local Government Report; Creating Strong and Sustainable Communities (Caroline Flint – Communities & Local Government); Closing Speech (Harriet Harman)

Posts:

  1. Breakfast on the terrace
    A relaxing final morning, and a reflection on the welcome we’ve had in Liverpool.
  2. The Final Countdown
    Some thoughts on the final speeches, and what deserves a standing ovation, and what doesnt. A tour of the Slavery Museum.
  3. Seeing more of Liverpool
    A tour of the Slavery Museum, and then the Ferry across the Mersey to visit Spaceport. Back under to catch the train (1/76th scale)

  • Day Six: Friday 26th (and back again)

Posts:

  1. Thank you
    A few thanks yous to the people who have made this a great week.

5. Post Conference

Posts:

  1. Refounding Angus Labour
    What I have learned fron conference, and what we can do going forward in Angus.

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