Spring Conference 2011: Saturday fringe guide

Morning 07.15 – 08.30

Liberal Democrat Christian Forum
Morning Praise
Prayer and praise before the conference.
Note: this event will start at 08.15 and end at 08.45
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, Meeting 5

Lunchtime 13.00 – 14.00

Social Liberal Forum
Vince Cable discusses Post-18 Education
Come and hear Dr Vince Cable MP in conversation with Dr Evan Harris on the future of Further and Higher Education: from funding to improved teaching and wider opportunities. Your chance to question the Business Secretary.
Sheffield City Hall, North Hall

Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors
Lunch and Launch with Next Generation Lib Dem councillors
ALDC invite you to meet councillors on the Next Generation programme for
councillor development over a bite to eat for the launch of our newest analysis from
Spring and Autumn conference political workshops 2010.
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, City Suite C
Refreshments

Christian Aid
Haven and Hell: tax havens and global poverty
Chair: Felicity Lawrence, The Guardian (tbc). Speakers: Lord Newby; Paul Brannen,
Christian Aid; Richard Brooks, Private Eye; Government Minister (invited).
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, Meeting 5
Refreshments

Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats
BME Representation post Baroness Brinton’s Review
Panel with Baroness Sal Brinton, Tim Farron MP and Brian Haley, chaired by Issan
Ghazni, discussing the impact of the recent Candidates Review on ethnic minority
representation within the Party.
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, Meeting 6
Refreshments

Liberal Youth
The Real Impact of Asylum Policy
Liberal Youth and guest speakers, including Mike Kaye from ‘Still Human Still Here’,
discuss the real life costs of asylum in human, economic and political terms.
Jurys Inn, Suite 2
Refreshments

ALTER
Housing and Land: putting needs first
Speakers invited include: Ann Santry, Vice Chair, National Housing Federation; Cllr
Angela Lawrence, Housing Portfolio Holder, Vale of White Horse DC. Chair: Dr Tony
Vickers.
Jurys Inn, Suite 3

Women Liberal Democrats
Women and the Coalition
WLD invite you to a review of how coalition policies have, or will, affect the lives of
women. Guest speakers. More details on our conference stand or
www.womenlibdems.org.
Jurys Inn, Suite 5

Liberal Democrat European Group
Democratic Reform at Home, in Europe and Around the World
As Britain faces up to democratic reform, MEPs will talk about what we can learn
from other countries’ experiences.
Jurys Inn, Suite 8

CentreForum and LGA Liberal Democrat Group
Glass half full?
Speakers: Cllr Richard Kemp and Andrew Stunell MP. Chair: Chris Nicholson, CentreForum.
What progress is being made by the Coalition in delivering real local control and
what further reforms are needed?
Leopold Hotel, Library One & Two
Refreshments

Early Evening 18.15 – 19.30

Growth, Cuts and Britain's Economic Future: Plan A or Plan B? Should we be considering a plan B for the future prosperity of Britain?
Panel debate with Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary and Nick Pearce, Director, ippr (chair).
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, City Suite B

CentreForum
Breakthrough or breakdown?
Speakers: Tim Farron MP; Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP; Prof. Paul Whiteley, University
of Essex. Chair: Neil Sherlock.
What will joining the Coalition do to the Liberal Democrats’ electoral prospects?
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, City Suite A

Social Liberal Forum
Distinctiveness and Independence
How can we better demonstrate our differences from the Tories? With Tim Farron,
Party President; Lynne Featherstone, Equalities Minister; David Aaronovitch, The
Times; David Hall-Matthews, Chair, SLF. Chair: Cllr Paula Keaveney.
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, City Suite C

Prater Raines Ltd
Turning Visits into Voters
Make your website more than just a shop window! Top tips and discussion on how
to make your website gain you more supporters, more voters and generate more
news coverage for the 2011 elections.
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, Meeting 5
Refreshments

‘YES!’ To Fairer Votes
AV: The Final Push
With just a few weeks to go before the ground breaking referendum on voting
reform, join with leading Liberal Democrat politicians to say an emphatic ‘YES!’ to
fairer votes in May and how you can play your part in making Britain fairer.
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, Meeting 6
Refreshments

Liberal Democrats for Peace & Security
Annual General Meeting
LDPS has played a major role in the Party’s discussions on Security Policy, Trident
and Arms Sales. Members and anyone interested are invited to discuss the current
challenges and plans for the future.
Jurys Inn, Suite

Liberal Democrat Lawyers Association
Wicked Wicked Libel: Law Reform Now
Speakers: Lord Lester of Herne Hill; Tracey Brown, Sense about Science.
How can the balance be struck between freedom of expression, legitimate debate
and redress for defamation? Are Lib Dem proposals for reform appropriate?
Jurys Inn, Suite 5
Refreshments

Humanist & Secular Liberal Democrats
Should you have faith in the Big Society?
Speakers: Julian Huppert MP and Dr Evan Harris. Chair: Peter Kunzmann.
The state is in retreat and faith groups may fill the void. What could this mean for
secularism, equality and religious influence?
Jurys Inn, Suite 7

Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine
Talking to Hamas: the need for long-term regional security
Discussion. Speakers to include Gabrielle Rifkind, Oxford Research Group Director
of the Middle East Human Security programme.
Jurys Inn, Suite 8
Refreshments

The Liberal Democrat Christian Forum
The role of communities in tackling human trafficking
More than one person is trafficked across a border each minute, and some will end
up in a neighbourhood near you. Join our panel of experts to discuss the role that
communities can play in combating this abominable trade of human beings.
Jurys Inn, Suite

Green Liberal Democrats
Making Zero Carbon Britain a reality – Energy Market Reform
Chris Huhne, Minister for Energy & Climate Change, will lead Q&A session on how
the Government are proposing the most radical reform of the energy market since
privatisation by proposals to decarbonise the power sector.
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, Meeting 5
Refreshments

www.LibDemVoice.org
Who runs the Internet? Wikileaks, piracy and censorship
Evan Harris, Mary Reid and Jim Killock of the digital rights champions Open Rights
Group debate recent issues about free speech and the Internet with chair Mark Pack.
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, Meeting 6

ALDES - Engineering and Science
ALDES New Technology Debate
Debate on new technology, science, and areas for policy development. ALDES
Members and non-members welcome.
Jurys Inn, Suite 7

Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors
Health matters
Health and social care is always near the top of the political agenda, and
increasingly so for local councils. Hear about the current issues. Speakers include
Paul Burstow MP, Minister of State for Health.
Jurys Inn, Suite 8
Refreshment

National Diversity Unit
Leadership and Diversity – Looking towards 2015
The Liberal Democrats are committed to candidate diversity and supporting future
leaders from under-represented groups. This event outlines why this is such a
priority for the Party and how we’re going to make it happen!
Leopold Hotel, Oak Suite
Refreshments, Hearing

Saturday 12th Late Evening 22.00 – Late

Glee Club
The traditional end-of-conference celebration of songs old and new. Pick up your
copy of the Liberator songbook so you can raise the roof, with songs from the
days of Gladstone and Lloyd George to satirical songs from 20 years of the Liberal
Revue. Cash bar.
Mercure St Paul’s Hotel, City Suite