FEPS-Fabian New Year Conference 2022: Rising to the challenge – The left’s ambition For The UK and Europe
The first FEPS-Fabian Society new year conference was held on Saturday 15 January and we were joined by leading members of the shadow cabinet, politicians from across the UK and Europe, expert speakers and over 600 in-person and online participants.
Our first fully hybrid conference looked at the shared challenges facing the UK and countries across Europe. We debated the left’s ambitions, as we seek to rebuild our societies and economies after the pandemic and prepare for green transition and digital transformation.
Keynote Speech and Q&A
Keir Starmer MP | Leader of the Labour Party
Chair: Aletha Adu | Daily Mirror
Challenge 1: A strong economy for all
Jonathan Reynolds MP | shadow secretary for state for business & industrial strategy
Vaughan Gething MS | Minister for economy, Welsh Government
Ann Pettifor | PRIME Economics
Prof Peter Bofinger | former member, German council of economic experts
Polly Billington | chief executive, UK10
Chair: Andrew Harrop | general secretary, Fabian Society
Challenge 2: The climate emergency
Olivia Blake MP | shadow climate change minister
Kerry McCarthy MP | Bristol East
Laura Cunliffe-Hall | chair, Young Fabians
Sakina Sheikh | member, London Assembly
Chair: Andreas Dimmelmeir | policy analyst for climate and environment, FEPS
Challenge 3: Populism, Nationalism, and Division
Daniel Johnson MSP | finance and economy spokesperson, Scottish Labour
Andras Biro-Nagy | director, Policy Solutions, Hungary
Prof Daphne Halikiopoulou | professor of comparative politics, University of Reading
Kirsty McNeill | author, Counter Culture
Sunder Katwala | director, British Future
Chair: Lord Roy Kennedy | treasurer, Fabian Society
Challenge 4: Unequal income, wealth, and power
Liam Byrne MP | Birmingham Hodge Hill
Frances O’Grady | general secretary, TUC
David Rinaldi | director of policy and studies, FEPS
Ayesha Hazarika | presenter, Times Radio
Stewart Lansley | author, ‘The richer, the poorer’
Chair: Luke Raikes | research director, Fabian Society
Challenge 5: Education for the future
Jeremy Miles MS | minister for education and the Welsh language, Welsh Government
Cllr Anntoinette Bramble | children and young people’s lead, LGA Labour
Patrick Roach | general secretary, NASUWT
Mafalda Dâmaso | lecturer in culture, media and creative industries, King’s College London
Chair: Ben Cooper | senior researcher, Fabian Society
Challenge 6: Shared good health
Wes Streeting MP | shadow secretary of state for health & social care
Sara Cerdas MEP | European parliament S&D group
Vytenis Andriukaitis | former EU Commissioner for health & food safety
Sarina Kiayani | communications officer, Young Fabians
Chair: Dr Tom Gardiner | Fabian Society executive committee
Challenge 7: Technology transforming society
Chi Onwurah MP | shadow minister for science, research and innovation
Darren Jones MP | Chair, House of Commons business, energy and industrial strategy committee
Paul Nemitz | principal advisor, justice policy, European Commission
Tom Adeyoola | co-founder, Extend Ventures
Chair: Dr Martin Ebodor | chair, Fabian Society