Progress’ ‘future of the centre-left’ grassroots tour finished on Tuesday 2 February with the last event in Westminster. The tour – in 17 cities, with 19 events, 46 speakers, 650 attendees and lots of new members – was a huge success.
At the close of the tour Richard Angell, director of Progress, commented, ‘it is horrid losing elections. Internal ones are often more painful. While May’s general election result was hard to take, losing within the party for which you have worked your whole adult life is more personal, especially when your very motive for doing so has been brought so firmly into question.’
Fresh from the listening tour he said Progress is ‘a home of honest debate for all wings of the Labour party, intellectually curious about the future of centre-left ideas and outside SW1 talking to members and supporters.’
Progress chair Alison McGovern MP, speaking at same event, said Labour must rediscover ‘the art of winning arguments’ and argued ‘clever ideas are no substitute for persuading people’. She added, ‘the pursuit of power is not a betrayal of our values, but the truest expression of them.’
Final event
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Westminster
6-7.30pm, Tuesday 2 February 2016
Committee Room 14, Portcullis House, London, SW1A 2LW
Jonathan Ashworth MP Leicester South
Alison McGovern MP Wirral West and chair, Progress
Rachel Reeves MP Leeds West
Chair: Richard Angell Director, Progress
The three speakers wrote for Progress magazine giving their thoughts on the future of the centre-left:
Never give up
Here is the first rule of politics – Alison McGovern MP, chair of Progress
Business at heart
We have a huge job of work to do, writes Rachel Reeves MP
Time to listen
Whatever Labour does next, it has got to be radical, says Jonathan Ashworth MP
News from the event:
‘Blairite’ and ‘Brownite’ tags labelled ‘irrelevant’, as calls come for Labour to unite to win
LabourList
Jeremy Corbyn supporters told to end the ‘Red Tory’ attacks on Labour leader’s opponents
The Mirror
The events series (November 2015-February 2016)
Do you believe in a centre-left future for Britain? Do you want a centre-left project for Labour? Come and tell us what you think.
How can Progress be a part of this? Where do we go next? If you are a member of Labour’s centre-left come and join the debate.
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Manchester
6.30-8pm, Friday 29 January 2016
Room F12, Friends’ Meeting House, Manchester, M2 5NS
Tristram Hunt MP Stoke-on-Trent Central
Amina Lone Former parliamentary candidate for Morecambe and Lunesdale
Michael Taylor Former parliamentary candidate for Hazel Grove
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Colchester
6.30-8pm, Thursday 28 January 2016
Main Hall, Greenstead Community centre, Hawthorn Avenue, Colchester, Essex CO4 3QE
Jordan Newell Former parliamentary candidate for Colchester
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Darlington
6.30-8pm, Thursday 22 January 2016
Stephenson room, Darlington Community Fire Station, St. Cuthberts Way, Darlington, DL1 5LN
Jenny Chapman MP Darlington
Phil Wilson MP Sedgefield
Nick Wallis Darlington borough council
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Carlisle
6.30-8pm, Thursday 21 January 2016
Edwardian room, Crown and Mitre, 4 English St, Carlisle, CA3 8HZ
Jamie Reed MP Copeland
Roger Liddle Labour peer and member, Cumbria county council
Lee Sherriff Former parliamentary candidate for Carlisle
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in West London
6.30-8pm, Thursday 21 January 2016
Council chambers, Ealing town hall, New Broadway, London W5 2BY
Rupa Huq MP Ealing Central and Acton
Fiona MacTaggart MP Slough
Julian Bell Leader, Ealing council
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Liverpool
6.30-8pm, Thursday 14 January 2016
Institute Room, Quaker Meeting House, 22 School Lane, Liverpool, L13BT
Alison McGovern MP Wirral South and chair, Progress
Jamie Reed MP Copeland
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in East London
6.30-8pm, Thursday 7 January 2016
Circus 4, Stratford Circus Arts Centre, London, E15 1BX
Wes Streeting MP Ilford North
Unmesh Desai London Assembly candidate, City and East
Rachael Saunders Deputy mayor, London borough of Tower Hamlets
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Glasgow
6.30-8pm, Wednesday 9 December 2015
Mash room, IET Glasgow, 14 St Enoch Square, Glasgow G1 4DB
Stephen Curran Member, Glasgow city council
William Bain Former member of parliament for Glasgow North East
Gemma Doyle Former member of parliament for West Dunbartonshire
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Reading
6.30-8pm, Tuesday 8 December 2015
Reading Quaker House 2 Church Street, Reading, RG12SB
Victoria Groulef Former parliamentary candidate for Reading West
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Birmingham
7-8.30pm, Friday 4 December 2015
Room 2-3, BVSC, 138 Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 6DR
Emma Reynolds MP Wolverhampton North East
John Spellar MP Warley
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Brighton and Hove
6-7.30pm, Friday 4 December 2015
Venue tbc
Peter Kyle MP Hove
Warren Morgan Leader, Brighton and Hove city council
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Plymouth
7.30-9pm, Saturday 3 December 2015
Room 210, Roland Levinsky Building, Plymouth University, Plymouth, PL48AA
Ben Bradshaw MP Exeter
Luke Pollard Former parliamentary candidate for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
6.30-8pm, Thursday 26 November 2015
Burton room, Phoenix Cinema and Arts Centre, 4 Midland Street, Leicester, LE1 1TG
Liz Kendall MP Leicester West
Leon Spence Member, Leicestershire county council
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Wrexham
6-7.30pm, Saturday 21 November 2015
Gwersyllt Community Resource Centre, Second Avenue, Gwersyllt, Wrexham, LL11 4ED
Ian Lucas MP Wrexham
Mary Wimbury Former parliamentary candidate for Aberconwy
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Aberdeen
6-7.30pm, Friday 20 November 2015
St Georges Tillydrone, Hayton Road, Aberdeen, AB24 2RN
Richard Baker Member of the Scottish parliament for north-east Scotland region
Anne Begg Former member of parliament for Aberdeen South
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Edinburgh
6-7.30pm, Friday 20 November 2015
Serenity cafe, The Tun, 8 Jacksons Entry, Edinburgh EH8 8PJ
Ian Murray MP Shadow secretary state for Scotland
Cat Headley Scottish Parliament candidate for Edinburgh Western
Daniel Johnson Scottish Parliament candidate for Edinburgh Southern
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Leeds
6-7.30pm, Thursday 19 November 2015
Room 408, The Rose Bowl, Portland Crescent, Leeds, LS1 3HB
Angela Smith MP Penistone and Stocksbridge
Rebecca Charlwood Chief whip, Leeds city council
The future of Labour’s centre-left: The grassroots tour in Gravesend
6.30-8pm, Monday 16 November 2015
St. George’s Church Church Street, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 0DJ
Siobhain McDonagh MP Mitcham and Morden
Naushabah Khan Former parliamentary candidate for Rochester and Strood