CLES at Labour Party Conference 2025

Reclaiming our regional economies: How Mayors can resit the rise of the far right

If you’re concerned about the rise of populism, you’re not alone. It is a problem that is particularly pronounced in areas where citizens feel sidelined and disillusioned by centralised decision making.

So this conference season, we’re teaming up with fellow leading think tanks – Co-operatives UK, the New Economics Foundation, and Centre for Thriving Places to bring you a timely event at Labour Party Conference. Together, we collaborate on a major multi-year programme called Reclaiming our Regional Economies (RORE). Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, Friends Provident Foundation, the Barrow Cadbury Trust and Power to Change – we bring communities together with political and institutional leaders to understand how they can design economies that build better lives.

You are invited to join us as we discuss how Mayors can resist the rise of the far right, and how people can reclaim our regional economies.

📅 Date and time: Monday 29 September 2025 at 2.00-2.45pm
📍 Location: The Exhibition Event Hub, ECL, inside the secure zone at Labour Party Conference

We will be joined by a panel of expert policymakers and influencers who will offer their assessments of the rise of the far right and what Mayors and local leaders can do to tackle it. They are:

🗣️ Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands
🗣️ Cathy Brown, Head of Economic Justice (Birmingham) for Barrow Cadbury Trust
🗣️ Danny Sriskandarajah, Chief Executive, New Economics Foundation
🗣️ Chaired by Liz Zeidler, Chief Executive, Centre for Thriving Places

There’s no need to RSVP – just turn up, don a pair of headphones (provided) and get stuck into the debate. We hope to see you there!