The ResPublica fringe at #cpc12 received an unprecedented level of interest, with standing room only at all of our events. To open our fringe series at the Conservative party conference, we hosted ‘Construction Growth: Skills and jobs for the real economy’, in partnership with Construction Skills. At this event Jake Berry MP argued for the importance of vocational training in achieving economic recovery, and the key role that the construction industry can play in promoting skills and growth. Cllr Mike Whitby, Leader of the Opposition at Birmingham City Council, noted the contribution of industries such as construction as a driver for growth in the city of Birmingham, and Judy Lowe, the Deputy Chairman of Construction Skills, detailed the various opportunities provided by the construction industry for new apprenticeships and jobs. 

Economic recovery was also discussed at ‘A Good Deal: Creating sustainable growth in cities’, hosted in partnership with Core Cities, where we welcomed the Minister for Cities and new Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Greg Clark MP. The Minister argued that government must give the right of initiative to cities in order for them to innovate and grow; the Treasury cannot have a monopoly over ideas. A sense of place was highlighted as an indispensable part of the Government’s growth agenda and a guard against abstract and centralised policy-making. Malcolm Harbour MEP developed on this topic with reference to the European market and the need to grow ‘smarter’ cities.

In partnership with the Barrow Cadbury Trust and British Future, ResPublica hosted Damian Green MP, Lord Popat and the Director of British Future, Sunder Katwala, to discuss ‘Immigration and integration in civic life’. Damian Green MP argued that while British values and institutions are evolutionary not static, ‘being British’ must entail a strong commitment to them. Sunder Katwala argued that ethnic minority communities often have a stronger sense of ‘Britishness’ than many Britons themselves thus undermining the ‘them’/’us’ dichotomy. Championing the great success of British Indians, Lord Popat spoke of such groups as ‘successful immigrants’: those fully embracing the British way of life. 

‘Sharing the care: Making support personal’, in partnership with Advance UK and the Carers Trust, heard from Stephen Dorrell MP, who argued that there needs to be a commissioning process that people believe in, rather than one based on a universal formula. Thea Stein, the Chief Executive of the Carers Trust, outlined the role of carers in building a community around those in need, and Tim Cooper of Advance UK used his own expertise to demonstrate how share ownership schemes can deliver more control and greater choice for tenants. Sarah Cookson, an Advance UK tenant and ambassador, shared her first hand story of achieving independence. Following her remarks at the event, Sarah was invited to meet the Prime Minister to talk about her experiences, accompanied by ResPublica’s Managing Director Caroline Macfarland and Stephen Dorrell MP. The full story of Sarah’s meeting with the Prime Minister can be read here.

‘Young people, the family and community institutions’, part of the ResPublica/ NCVYS Commission on Youth, featured a panel including David Burrowes MP, Richard Sved of LEAP, James Probert of City Year, Amar Lodhia of the Small Business Consultancy and ResPublica’s Phillip Blond to discuss the role of the family, the wider community and social values in driving change in participation and volunteering amongst young people. 

In the context of Chris White MP’s Public Services (Social Value) Bill, to come into effect in January 2013, ‘Innovating Public Services through Social Value’ asked panellists how the 'social value' agenda could be driven forward effectively in the years to come, and how it can most successfully connect with the wider social economy. Nick Hurd MP, the Minister for Civil Society, outlined plans and ambitions for the forthcoming Commissioning Academy and guidance for the Social Value Act, alongside measures for stimulating the wider social investment market. Chris White MP highlighted the challenges and opportunities set out by the Act, and both Joe Irvin from NAVCA and Barry Hughes of Selwood Housing shared their thoughts on the practical opportunities. Third Sector magazine has reported on this event here.

‘Beyond Portas: Town centres for local economies and communities’, hosted in partnership with the Charity Retail Association, welcomed Jake Berry MP and John Howell MP alongside Warren Alexander, Chief Executive of the Charity Retail Association, and Caroline Macfarland, Managing Director of ResPublica. Jake Berry MP emphasised the role that councillors can play in the improvement of town centres, and championed the potential role of local business rates relief in encouraging businesses to invest in surrounding communities. Warren Alexander made the case for the importance of charity shops in regenerating Britain's high streets, promoting local job opportunities and facilitating market diversity, and John Howell MP outlined the importance of local communities in determining the composition of local high streets and how neighbourhood planning can act as a vehicle to achieving this. 

‘Is the party over? Reconnecting people and politics’ was the third event in a cross-conference series co-hosted with the Fabian Society and Centre Forum. The panel featured Shaun Bailey, the PM’s special adviser on youth, crime and welfare issues, Mark Pack, Lib Dem Voice, Marcus Roberts, Deputy Secretary General, the Fabian Society, and Anne Perkins of the Guardian and Caroline Macfarland, Managing Director of ResPublica. Shaun Bailey argued that it is not politicians who are out of touch with the people but instead the broader system which creates the divide and stressed the need for the people to take back control. Mark Park suggested that we don’t discuss the positives and that popular culture has a role to play in lessening the divide. In promoting a return of politics to the doorstep, Marcus Roberts made a case for the use of community organisations for political purposes, while Anne Perkins drew historically on the work of Stanley Baldwin to illustrate that governments must learn to respect the voter, and to give politics back to the people.

‘Beyond the Banks: Changing borrowing habits in Britain’s squeezed households’, hosted in partnership with the CFA, heard from Guy Opperman MP, Ben Gummer MP,  Russell Hamblin-Boone, Chief Executive of the CFA, Anna Ellison, Research Director of Policis and Chris Pond, Chair of Credit Action. Guy Opperman MP opened the discussion by celebrating the role that community banking could play in lending, drawing on the Germany’s local banking system as an example, while Ben Gummer MP emphasised the need for both improved financial education and the creation of peer-to-peer business lending to restore our economy. Anna Ellison followed, expertly deploying statistical evidence relating to personal lending to demonstrate the deficiencies of the current mainstream credit system before Russell Hamblin-Boone offered a defence of the highly controversial payday-lending industry. 

‘Broken Society or Broken Politics? Post-liberalism and the Conservative party?’ in partnership with Demos, hosted Jesse Norman MP, David Goodhart, Director of Demos, ResPublica’s Phillip Blond and Peter Oborne from The Telegraph. With challenges from the audience as to how post-liberalism in theory can translate to post-liberalism in practice, the fringe generated a lively discussion. Jesse Norman MP argued that ‘the Conservative’ and ‘the liberal’ speak about ‘freedom’ in different terms: the liberal as the unfettered will, and the Conservative as accountable to the wider social order. In practical terms, Jesse added, a post-liberal economics should demand a shift away from individualistic and consumerist thinking, toward more associational models based on morality and trust. David Goodhart also used the motif of ‘freedom’, proffering it as a concept to be complemented by the development of character through intermediary institutions, such as the family and wider community.  ResPublica’s Director, Phillip Blond, carried the debate further to outline how a post-liberal economics could deliver a freer market than a liberal economics, calling for a new economics that can distribute capital not through the state, but the market itself. 

‘Creating Competition: Behind the scenes of the energy market’ welcomed the new Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, John Hayes MP. He spoke of the paradox of facilitating investment in energy generation whilst also keeping prices at a level that will not limit growth. Paddy Hayes, the Executive Director of ESBI, argued for a greater level of interconnectedness of the energy market and greater access for new entrants to the liquidity of the market. Chris Pincher MP called for a cross-party consensus surrounding the Energy Bill, and Jonathan Smith of First Utility posited proposals to open up the connection between generation and supply.

‘Infrastructure and investment platforms for growth’ welcomed George Freeman MP and Charlie Elphicke MP alongside Howard Dawber from the Canary Wharf Group, Rebecca Evans from Construction News and Rajay Naik from The Open University. Throughout this event the argument was forcefully made that infrastructure should not be the sole preserve of the state, but should instead be undertaken through partnerships in which both the private sector and local communities are also involved. George Freeman MP argued that Britain was trying to build a 21st Century innovation economy with 19th Century infrastructure, and called for greater investment. Invoking the memory of Joseph Chamberlain’s Birmingham, Charlie Elphicke MP further underscored the importance of infrastructure in civic renewal, using his efforts with the People’s Port project in Dover as an example.

And finally, on the last day of Conservative Party Conference 2012, we welcomed Bishop Nazir-Ali, The Times’s Matthew Parris, Andrew Pierce from the Daily Mail, Conservative Home’s Tim Montgomerie and Phillip Blond, Director of ResPublica, to discuss ‘Marriage: Changing the terms of debate’. This expansive discussion sought to reach beyond conventional arguments, questioning the role of the state, legislation and the very meaning of marriage and the role of legislation. Matthew Parris has written a comment piece based on the event in The Times (pay wall) here. This event was part of ResPublica’s strategic consultation on marriage, which seeks to carry debate beyond current polarised and highly politicised positions.