CLP speaker service

28 March 2009 to 06 May 2010

Constituency Labour parties across the country

Progress wants to support CLPs in the work they do, campaigning for a fourth term Labour government.

To do this, we have launched two intiatives - our 'Speaker List', and the 'Obama Roadshow'. Both aim to make it easier for CLPs to arrange top-quality speakers for their meetings.

Speaker List

Progress' Speaker List contains a range of people with something to say about policy and campaigning, from MPs to think tank staff, and from councillors to trade unionists.

If you have a subject in mind and want to find a speaker then download the table of speakers organised by theme .

To invite a speaker simply:
- download the list
- select the speaker you would like
- email mark@progressives.org.uk with your GC dates and chosen speaker

Obama Roadshow

Dozens of enthusiastic Labour activists travelled to the USA last autumn to volunteer to work for the Obama election campaign. Many went on a special trip to Ohio organised by the Young Fabians and the Labour Staff Network. They came back fired up and full of ideas about campaigning. The Progress Obama Roadshow is an opportunity for them to travel to CLP meetings to talk about their experiences, and discuss how lessons from the Obama campaign can be translated into Labour campaigning in the UK.

If possible, we will pair up our speaker with an MP or other suitable figure, so they can give their perspective on how we can translate lessons from America to the Labour party.

To request a speaker simply email mark@progressives.org.uk with the date you would like a speaker, and details of where you meet. If you would like a specific speaker please email to request the speaker details.

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New thinking for Britain’s next decade

14 September 2009 to 09 March 2010

With less than a year to go before the next general election there is an urgent need for progressive policy debate and discussion in the party to show Labour has the ideas necessary to meet the social, economic and political challenges of the next decade. As part of our new initiative we are asking senior Labour ministers to give a keynote lecture addressing a central issue for Britain’s future and outlining innovative ideas Labour should put forward as part of its route map to a progressive fourth term.

Rt Hon Lord Mandelson
First Secretary of State, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills, and Lord President of the Council
'Progressive state reformers v ideological state retrenchers: framing the electoral choice between Labour and Conservative'
Monday 14 September
11.30am – 1pm

Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP
'Labour's way to win'
Wednesday 23 September
6pm - 7pm

Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
'No Place Left Behind - How we use new growth to fight poverty?'
Tuesday 20 October
6pm - 7pm

Rt Hon Peter Hain MP
Secretary of State for Wales
'Labour's purpose in difficult economic times'
Tuesday 27 October
6pm - 7pm


Rt Hon Ben Bradshaw MP
Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport
Monday 2 November
6pm – 7pm


Rt Hon John Healey MP
Minister for Housing
Wednesday 18 November
6pm - 7pm

Rt Hon Jack Straw MP
Secretary of State for Justice & Lord Chancellor
Tuesday 8 December
6pm – 7pm

Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP
Minister for the Cabinet Office, and for the Olympics and Paymaster General
'The mutual moment: how progressives can capture the ownership agenda'
Tuesday 15 December
6pm – 7pm

Rt Hon David Blunkett MP
'The Hidden Agenda: The True Face of Cameron's Conservatives'
Tuesday 19 January 2010
6pm – 7pm

Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP
'The new Industrial Revolution: opportunities in creating a low carbon economy'
Minister of State for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform
Monday 25 January
6pm - 7pm

Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP
Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Tuesday 26 January 2010
6pm – 7pm

Rt Hon John Denham MP
Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government
'Progressive politics - a patriotic story?'
Tuesday 9 February 2010
6pm – 7pm

Chris Bryant MP
Minister for Europe
'Divided at home, isolated abroad – the Tory road to British irrelevance'
Tuesday 9 March, 2009
6pm - 7pm

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Progressive politics – a patriotic story?

09 February 2010
18:00 to 19:00

Wilson Room, Portcullis House, Westminster

In the twelfth lecture in Progress’ series, Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government Rt Hon John Denham MP will argue that Labour needs to offer more than just a choice of policies at the next election.

He will set out how Labour won handsomely in 1997 because it was in tune with a set of deeply-held British values, which were reasserting themselves. The party needs to do the same again in order to win in 2010.

As well as the right policies, Labour needs to show it understands voters’ lives, and offers a vision and a story of our country which they share - where Britain has come from and where it is going.

John Denham will ask whether Labour can tell a history which voters think is true, and whether we can describe a future which seems both believable and right. It is that story – a patriotic, progressive, national story – that the left needs to tell for the 21st century.

Chaired by Anna Turley, Deputy Director, New Local Government Network.

To register for a place please email mark@progressives.org.uk

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Divided at home, isolated abroad – the Tory road to British irrelevance

09 March 2010
18:00 to 19:00

Wilson Room, Portculllis House, Westminster

The Conservative Party's policy on Europe has been attacked and maligned by members of the Shadow Cabinet and Conservative backbench MPs. If the Conservatives win the next election, Britain's policy on Europe would be hijacked by a cabal of Eurosceptics intent on removing Britain from the EU. Perhaps more dangerous than that is the immediate effect of David Cameron's confused policy: isolation on the world stage, a lack of influence in the EU and a return to institutional navel gazing at a time when Europe needs to create jobs for its citizens. Already in the European Parliament, Cameron has shown he will put dogma first, country second, even at the cost of British businesses and industry. Europe Minister Chris Bryant explores a world view that would see a country divided at home and isolated abroad if we have a Conservative Government.

To register for a place please email mark@progressives.org.uk

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Progress annual conference 2010

22 May 2010
10:00 to 17:00

Central London location

The date has been set for Progress' biggest event of the year. Please put the date in your diary - ticket information and speakers will follow.

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