class | conference 2016
Britain At A Crossroads

finding the progressive path

10am • Saturday 5 November • TUC Congress, London • #classconf16
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Speakers

Join Class and leading thinkers, key figures in the labour movement, grassroots organisers and activists to take stock, discuss policy solutions and map a progressive path forward for Britain. More speakers will be announced over the coming weeks. No more tickets available online. Limited tickets available on the door for £10

Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn

Leader of the Labour Party

Maya Goodfellow

Maya Goodfellow

Journalist, LabourList

Hilary Wainwright

Hilary Wainwright

Founding Editor, Red Pepper

Malia Bouattia

Malia Bouattia

President, National Union of Students

Ozlem Onaran

Ozlem Onaran

Director of Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre , University of Greenwich

Tim Roache

Tim Roache

General Secretary, GMB

Owen Jones

Owen Jones

Author, Guardian Journalist

Dr Faiza Shaheen

Dr Faiza Shaheen

Director of Class

Paul Mason

Paul Mason

Writer, Broadcaster, Film-maker

Francesca Martinez

Francesca Martinez

Campaigner, Comedian

Will Hutton

Will Hutton

Political economist and writer

Steve Turner

Steve Turner

Assistant General Secretary, Unite the Union

Lisa Nandy MP

Lisa Nandy MP

Labour MP for Wigan

Zahra Dalilah

Zahra Dalilah

Journalist, Take Back The City Organiser

Claude Moraes MEP

Claude Moraes MEP

Chairman of the European Parliament's Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE)

Nick Dearden

Nick Dearden

Director of Global Justice Now

Sarah-Jayne Clifton

Sarah-Jayne Clifton

Director of Jubilee Debt Campaign

Caroline Hill

Caroline Hill

Chair of Young Labour

Craig Dawson

Craig Dawson

Member of TUC General Council Chair TUC Young Workers Forum, Youth Rep on GMB National Executive (CEC)

Sakina Sheikh

Sakina Sheikh

Social Justice Campaigner and Co-Founder of Trade Justice Generation

Dave Powell

Dave Powell

Associate Director, New Economics Foundation

Sir Keir Starmer MP

Sir Keir Starmer MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU

Dr Wanda Wyporska

Dr Wanda Wyporska

Executive Director, The Equality Trust

David Wearing

David Wearing

Researcher and Tutor, SOAS

Siobhan Endean

Siobhan Endean

National Officer for Equalities, Unite the Union,

Saira Grant

Saira Grant

Chief Executive, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants

Tony Greenham

Tony Greenham

Director of Economy, Enterprise and Manufacturing at the RSA

Steve Keen

Steve Keen

Economist, Author, Kingston University

Stefan Stern

Stefan Stern

Director of High Pay Centre

Sekai Makoni

Sekai Makoni

The Ubele Initiative

Professor Prem Sikka

Professor Prem Sikka

University of Essex

Rob Palmer

Rob Palmer

Campaign Leader, Global Witness

Carys Afoko

Carys Afoko

Communications Director, Sum of Us

Professor Danny Dorling

Professor Danny Dorling

University of Oxford

Cat Hobbs

Cat Hobbs

Director of We Own It

Dr Andrew Cumbers

Dr Andrew Cumbers

University of Glasgow

Ellie O'Hagan

Ellie O'Hagan

Freelance Journalist

Tom Copley

Tom Copley

London Assembly Member

Steve Turner

Steve Turner

Assistant General Secretary, Unite the Union

Nick Srnicek

Nick Srnicek

Author

Jonathan Bartley

Jonathan Bartley

Co-Leader, Green Party

Holly Rigby

Holly Rigby

Teacher, Activist

John Hendy

John Hendy

QC, Institute of Employment Rights

Steve Cavalier

Steve Cavalier

Chief Executive, Thompsons Solicitors

Ayeisha Thomas-Smith

Ayeisha Thomas-Smith

Compass

Poppy Noor

Poppy Noor

Freelance Journalist

Trish Ford

Trish Ford

Senior Unite Rep Toyota Vice-Chair, Unite Manufacturing Combine

Finn Brennan

Finn Brennan

ASLEF District Organiser

John Healey MP

John Healey MP

Labour MP for Wentworth and Dearne, Shadow Secretary of State for Housing

Fran Boait

Fran Boait

Executive Director, Positive Money

Aaron Bastani

Aaron Bastani

Novara Media Co-Founder

Sessions

Registration 9-10am / Conference 10am-4.45pm

Download conference guide

Main Sessions

1

Britain at a crossroads: finding the progressive path, with keynote from Jeremy Corbyn MP (10:00 - 11:30)

With Britain unsure of the future after Brexit, more people in insecure and low-paid work, racism and xenophobia on the rise and public services under threat, there hasn’t been a more important moment for the left to have a clear vision of the future.
Chair: | Dr Faiza Shaheen, Director of Class |. Speakers: | Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party | Paul Mason, Film Maker, Broadcaster, Writer | Tim Roache, General Secretary, GMB | Malia Bouattia, NUS President |

2

A Brexit that works for everyday people: globalisation, trade and the negotiations (13:30 - 14:30)

With a Tory government negotiating the Brexit deal we can expect one that hurts the working class the most. What is the vision for a Brexit that works for everyday people and how can we achieve it?
Chair: | Dr Faiza Shaheen |. Speakers: | Keir Starmer Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU | Claude Moraes MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament's Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE) | Nick Dearden, Director of Global Justice Now | Professor Özlem Onaran, Director of Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre , University of Greenwich

3

All hands on deck: building a hopeful and progressive future for Britain (15:45 - 16:45)

Britain is at a crossroads and it’s the lefts job to ensure we find the progressive path. What can we be doing practically to build a progressive future for Britain?
Speakers: | Owen Jones, Author, Journalist | Francesca Martinez, Campaigner, Comedian | Will Hutton, Political Economist and Writer

Breakout Sessions

Young people in the age of uncertain employment, debt and a housing crisis

Chair: | Craig Dawson, GMB National Exec, Young Labour National Committee, TUC General Council | . Speakers: | Malia Bouattia, NUS President | Caroline Hill, National Chair, Young Labour | Lorenza Antonucci, Social Policy Scholar | Poppy Noor, Freelance Journalist

Fighting the 1% and promoting working class voices

Chair: | Dr Faiza Shaheen |. Speakers: | Zahra Dalilah, Journalist, Take Back The City organiser | Sekai Makoni, Ubele | Dr Wanda Wyporska, Director of Equality Trust

Fighting for equality: austerity & the labour market

Chair: | David Wearing, Guardian Journalist |. Speakers: | Omar Khan, Director of Runnymede | Frances Ryan, Journalist | Siobhan Edean, National officer for equalities | Stefan Stern, High Pay Centre

Climate change, green jobs and sustainability

Chair: | Sakina Sheikh |. Speakers: | Dave Powell, Associate Director NEF | Jonathan Bartley, Green Party Leader | Melanie Smallman, Science Policy

Banking and financial reform: towards a more sustainable system

Chair: | Lydia Priag, University of Cambridge |. Speakers: | Sarah Clifton, Director of Jubilee Debt Campaign | Professor Steve Keen | Tony Greenham, Director of Economy, Enterprise and Manufacturing |

Schools as a driver of inequality: stopping this Tory overhaul

Chair: | Carys Afoko, Communications Director at Sum of Us | . Speakers: | Professor Danny Dorling | Holly Rigby

Fixing the North-South divide: the Northern Powerhouse and creating a more prosperous and equal UK

Chair: | Ellie O'Hagan |. Speakers: | Trish Ford, Senior Unite the Union Rep Toyota, Vice-Chair, Unite Manufacturing Combine | Dr Olivier Sykes, University of Liverpool |

Changing the debate on migration: debunking myths & home truths

Chair: | Ellie O'Hagan, Journalist | . Speakers: | Maya Goodfellow, Journalist | David Wearing, Journalist | Saira Grant, Chief Executive of Joint Council for Welfare of Immigrants | Lisa Nandy MP

Tax reform: building on successes and new challenges

Chair: | Stefan Stern, High Pay Centre |. Speakers: | Rebecca Long Bailey MP (invited) | Professor Prem Sikka | Rob Palmer, Global Witness

Fighting for public services and ownership: taking stock and changing the narrative

Speakers: | Cat Hobbs, Director of We Own It | Dr Andrew Cumbers | Hilary Wainwright, Red Pepper | Andrew Towers, Head of Political Strategy, Communication Workers Union | Finn Brennan, District Organiser, ASLEF |

Rent and ladders: the housing crisis, regulation and alternatives

Chair: | Ayeisha Thomas-Smith, Compass |. Speakers: | Sisters Uncut | Professor Danny Dorling | Tom Copley, London Assembly |

The gig economy & zero hour contracts: the new battle line

Chair: Faiza Shaheen, Director of Class. Speakers: | Steve Turner, Unite the Union, Assistant General Secretary | Nick Srnicek, Author | Stephen Cavalier, Chief Executive, Thompsons Solicitors | John Hendy, IER | Carys Afoko. Communications Director at Sum of Us |

Tickets

Early-bird tickets are now available. #classconf16

  Book tickets now

Food and refreshments

Lunch will be available to order at registration at a small cost for those who want it. Refreshments will be provided on arrival.

Location

TUC Congress Centre, 23-28 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS

Partners

A huge thank you to our supporting unions and sponsors who have made this conference possible and to the organisations that will be involved on the day with stalls and speakers. Labour List are our official media partners.

ASLEF
BFAWU
CWU
GFTU
GMB
FEU
MU
NUM
NUT
PCS
PFA
TSSA
UCATT
UCU
Unite

Contact Us

If you have any queries regarding Class's national conference or would like any further information contact:
Kennedy Walker, Communications and Events Officer, kennedy.walker@classonline.org.uk, 020 7611 2502.

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The Centre for Labour and Social Studies (Class) is a new think tank established in 2012 to act as a centre for left debate and discussion. Originating in the labour movement, Class works with a broad coalition of supporters, academics and experts to develop and advance alternative policies for today.

Visit our full website for more information: www.classonline.org.uk

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