Open Left, Next Left Conference

The event is the 6^th annual symposium organised by FEPS, Policy Network and Renner Institut. As in the past, this year’s event consist of a conference, in a participatory workshop format, of 50-60 invited guests, who will be a mix of academics, commentators and political practitioners drawn from the EU and the UK.

The theme will allow exploring the possibilities for a new progressive project for Britain and comparable European democracies, and to make a start on defining the policy agenda for centre left politics in what in Britain’s case, is likely to be the post Brexit era. It follows the publication by Policy Network on June 9^th of a new book entitled ‘Open Left’ by Andrew Gamble, Emeritus Professor of Politics at Sheffield, which discusses the principal challenges facing progressive politics. It also builds on the FEPS Next Left Research Programme – which supported especially by Renner Institut, has been the longest, largest pan-European reflection process on the future of the centre left and recently has been summarised in a pamphlet by Dr Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Senior Research Fellow “Next Left, New Social Deal. 10 Strategic Proposals for the Progressives to become the Movement of the Future”. Consequently, each session of the conference will debate political challenges that are common to most of the member states of the European Union.

The inauguration session will feature Lord Liddle, Co-Chair of Policy Network and Dr. Ernst Stetter, FEPS Secretary General, after whose opening remarks the conference will hear, from distinguished speakers, among whom are: Andrew Adonis, Olivia Bailey, Craig Berry, Torsten Bell, Romana Brait, Lisa Butler, Peter Bofinger, Klara Boonstra, Vince Cable, Jon Crudas, Mafalda Damaso, Patrick Diamond, Danny Darling, Andrew Gamble, Antony Giddens, Darren Hughes, Helen Golden, Georgia Gould, Andrew Harrop, Will Jennings, Julian Le Grand, Deborah Mattison, Pat McFadden, Julie Mellor, Lisa Pelling, Tomas Petricek, Sebastian Schublach, Ania Skrzypek, Gerry Stoker, Wes Streeting, Ed Turner, Martina Vuk.

Check the programme

For the outcomes of the previous events, please see for example:

“Progressive Politics After Crash. Governing from the left” – I.B. Tauris 2013

“The Predistribution Agenda. Tackling Inequality and Supporting Sustainable Growth” I.B. Tauris 2015

Progressive Politics in Fragmented Times – A. Skrzypek, 2015