Conservative Party Conference 2018 Highlights, rumours and relevant information: International Convention Centre Birmingham 30th September - 3rd October DeHavilland s Content Team September 2018 For more information on DeHavilland and how we can help with political monitoring, custom research and consultancy, contact: +44 (0)20 3033 3870 info@dehavilland.co.uk 1
Table of Contents Introduction Understand the context surrounding the three potential scenarios p. 2 The Rumour Mill Understand the major questions hanging over the conference, the factions, and the key players p. 3 Highlights Take note of the key events taking place at the conference p. 4 What about DeHavilland? A note on our coverage we shall provide for the Conservative, Labour, and SNP conferences p. 5 1
Introduction This year sees the Conservative Party meet in Birmingham between the 30 September and the 3 October and will be Theresa May s third since she became party leader and Prime Minister in July 2016. The Conference is expected to be one of unprecedented dramatics and clashes as the Party s key players and personalities, along with their faithful supporters, meet to discuss the future of the Conservatives. With Brexit day looming and negotiations set to begin again after conference season ends, it will be the talk of delegates. An ever-divisive topic within amongst Conservatives, exacerbated by the Chequers plan, voices from all sides will undoubtedly wade in to the debate. Many fringe events run by a plethora of stakeholders will also have Brexit as a key theme. The tension created by Brexit, and the splits it has formed within the Party, may also explode in a dramatic display of political maneuvering by the European Research Group and Brexiteers angry at the Chequers deal. Expect the Conservative Party to be looking to the future as well, discussing housing, future policies, campaigning and winning back the ever-elusive youth vote. During her speech, Theresa May will likely be wanting to present a unified and confident cabinet to the media, stamping out the chatter of dissent and a potential leadership challenge that have been doing the rounds in recent months. Expect drama and rumour aplenty in the lead up to the conference. No matter what happens, DeHavilland will be the definitive source for information at the events that matter to you. 2
The Rumour Mill Rumours abound ahead of this year's conference with Brexit looming heavy in the air. Many a fringe event will have Brexit as its focus and the cabinet will likely be trying to silence any talk of dissent amongst their ranks. It is not breaking news that the issue of Brexit has caused massive splits within the Conservative Party, with the dissident ERG being a particular thorn in Theresa May s side since the result of the 2016 referendum. In fact, there will be an alternative conference held 10 miles away from the main venue in which Brexiteer heavyweights are set to talk. The Head of the organisers of the event, the Bruges Group, Robert Oulds, said that the Conservative Party conference is no longer for conservatives, adding that there was no longer a role for grassroots members. It is the grassroots of the party that may prove to be hugely problematic for Ms May s leadership. Her Chequers plans have been particularly irksome for many grassroots members who believed in Brexit, as they see it as a cop out of sorts. According to BBC reports, there has been talk of a revolt amongst the grassroots compounded by infiltration by UKIP supporters wanting to influence the future of the party. Boris Johnson is hugely popular with the grassroots and, according to reports, his recent burqa comments further boosted his popularity with Party members. He is a top contender for next leader amongst bookies, commentators, and a recently leaked dossier. Will he launch his leadership bid - with the support of the ERG - during his speech on Tuesday? Indeed, Theresa May s future as Prime Minister will also be a big question at conference. Will she be leaving the month after Brexit day as originally planned? Currently, this seems unlikely as her speech on the Wednesday is called Campaign 2022, meaning that she will likely be presenting the early plan for her election campaign for the next election. The recent hit that she took at the Salzburg summit with the EU27 (coverage of which is summed up here), who rejected her Chequers proposal as unworkable, may have undermined her enough to stop her from continuing past 29 March 2019. She will also be looking to stamp out any discussion of a second referendum, or People s Vote, that has been proposed by certain MPs in her party, such as Dominic Grieve and Anna Soubry. Notably, the campaign group Best for Britain, advocates of a second referendum have been refused passes to the conference. This has led to accusations that the Conservatives are attempting to stop their voices from being heard, and Best for Britain will instead be forced to hold a fringe event outside the secure perimeter. The housing crisis is of particular concern, having alienated many younger voters away from the Conservatives in recent elections. Several events, such as How can infrastructure help to deliver housing? and 'Opening doors for the locked-out generation, will aim to address growing fears that the Party are outdated and will be vulnerable in the future without the support of younger voters. There is a clear link that can be drawn between the lack of youth support and the housing crisis, one that Conservative leaders are well aware of. The fringe event Housing policies to promote intergenerational fairness will be but one attempt to overcome the feelings of abandonment that many young people have. Interestingly, Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh will be attending the event to confront the Conservatives on their housing policies. 3
Highlights Greener UK Greener UK in conversation with Michael Gove. Hear Michael Gove discuss Brexit, nature s recovery, and the future of the UK s environment with Tanya Steele, CEO of WWF-UK. Sunday 30 September, 15.45. Hyatt Regency Birmingham, Andante. Prospect Magazine, FMB, BPF Addressing the construction skills gap now and post-brexit? Education Secretary Damian Hinds will speak to Prospect magazine, the Federation of Master Builders, and the British Property Federation to discuss plans to address the growing skills gap. Sunday 30 September, 15.45. Hyatt Regency Birmingham, Sonata. CBI and BVCA Building a Global Britain: Equipping the UK to Win on the World Stage. Chancellor Philip Hammond and Higher Education Minister Sam Gyimah will meet with representatives from Sky News, the CBI, and BVCA to discuss how government and business can work in partnership to build a more competitive Britain to seize new opportunities. Monday 1 October, 17.30. ICC Birmingham, Hall 10b. CBI & BVCA - Building A Global Britain: Equipping The UK To Win On The World Stage. The Director Generals of both the CBI and BVCA get to put their views to Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Shadow Education Minister Gordon Marsden. Monday 24 September, 17.30. Meeting Room 4A, ACC. Leave Means Leave Brexit means Brexit. Leave Means Leave are hosting a debate, followed by a drinks reception in which head of the ERG Jacob Rees-Mogg will be speaking. Monday 1 October, 18.15. Novotel Birmingham Centre: Lunar Suite. Conservative Friends of the Commonwealth The Commonwealth Reception. The Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, along with MPs Ross Thomson, Alec Shelbrooke and new party star Tom Tugenhadt are expected to attend this reception. Monday 1 October, 19.30. Hyatt Regency Birmingham, Dolce. Policy Exchange and EnergyUK - Powering the Clean Growth revolution: making the opportunity a reality. Roads, Local Transport and Devolution Minister Jesse Norman is expected to attend this event, where discussions will be had with a panel of experts about how the Government can use technology to drive the Clean Growth Strategy. Tuesday 2 October, 12.30. Centenary Square: Policy Exchange Marquee. ConservativeHome Speech by Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP. Former Foreign Secretary, potential leadership challenger and the party s darling will be making his speech on Tuesday. Speculation as to whether Mr Johnson will launch his leadership bid during this has been thrown around the media over the past months. Tuesday 2 October, 13.00. ICC Birmingham, Hall 1. Prime Minister Theresa May Conference speech. The main event of the conference. Theresa May is will take to the main hall to make her closing speech to end her third conference as party leader. Wednesday 3 October, late morning. Birmingham Symphony Hall. 4
What about DeHavilland? DeHavilland is your definitive source for party conference season. We will be covering dozens of fringe events from conferences in Liverpool (Labour), Birmingham (Conservative), and Glasgow (SNP), as well as producing real-time summaries of all key speeches from the main hall. To find out more about our conference coverage contact your Monitoring Consultant. We hope you found this briefing useful This briefing is an example of the in-depth political information we provide to public affairs and policy professionals every day. Our analysts gather vital political news from a range of sources to bring our customers live coverage tailored to their information needs. To find out how DeHavilland s political monitoring and research can help your organisation, and to request a consultation, visit www1.dehavilland.co.uk/trial 5