The Progressive Governance Conference, to be held in July, is set to be one of the year’s major political events for centre-left thinkers. The conference is part of a six-month process that was launched by the Prime Minister at Downing Street in February, at a seminar including British government ministers, European politicians, and the heads of the major thinktanks in the UK. The Progressive Governance Conference aims to set the agenda for progressive politics for the next decade and beyond. Its recommendations will be presented to the Progressive Heads of Government Summit, also being held in London this July.
The Progressive Governance Conference is being organised by Policy Network, the international thinktank chaired by Peter Mandelson. At a time when the social and political climate is scarred by insecurity, the political renewal of the centre-left is imperative. The Progressive Governance Conference will debate several key themes that will shape progressive politics over the coming decade. The objectives of the Conference are to facilitate the exchange of progressive ideas and policy practice in the UK, Europe and beyond, including the southern hemisphere.
A unique international policy research process has been organised, chaired by Tony Giddens, director of the London School of Economics, and facilitated by Policy Network in close partnership with Downing Street. Made up of policy experts from across the progressive world, and leading politicians and strategists, the seven working groups will examine in detail the future of the welfare state and the knowledge economy, global governance, migration and social integration, public service renewal, rights and responsibilities, corporate reform and governance, science, risk and the environment.
This is the fifth meeting of the Progressive Governance Conference. Past meetings were held in New York, Washington, Florence, Berlin and Stockholm, each providing a high-level centre-left forum on the most serious global challenges. The working groups preparing this year’s conference will meet during March through to June. In late April, a preparatory conference will be held, bringing together some of the most influential policy-makers to discuss some of the ideas originating from working group discussions. The working group reports will be published by early July and the Progressive Governance Conference will take place later that month. weblink: From now until July, the best place to find out about the work of the Progressive Governance Conference will be on Policy Network’s new website www.progressive-governance.net