Westminster 2020: What to expect from the next year of politics

Westminster 2020: What to expect from the next year of politics 

(The below event took place on 19 November 2019. For a round up of all the insights and highlights, visit our blog: Westminster 2020: Highlights from our political panel event)

The past year in Westminster has been one consumed by Brexit. Political parties have splintered, a Prime Minister has resigned, and political discourse has disintegrated. Yet, thanks largely to social action and protest, Brexit has not been the only thing on the agenda. Concerns over climate change led to thousands of activists occupying London’s streets in protest, forcing parties to firm up their commitments on tackling the issue. Northern Ireland’s abortion laws have been challenged and Seni’s Law received Royal Assent.

Now Britain is back to the polls for its first December election since 1923 and political parties are battling it out on the campaign trail with some new, and some not so new, promises.

So what does this mean for the next year of politics?

On 19th November, Hanson Search is bringing together a panel of experts to discuss what they predict will be the top challenges and opportunities for the government taking us into the next decade. Chaired by Steve Hawkes, head of strategic media at BCW and ex-deputy political editor at The Sun, we will explore the following questions and more:

• Are we facing another referendum?
• Which domestic policy initiatives will be prioritised and which will be abandoned?
• Will parliament finally have a ruling party with a strong working majority or are we facing more deadlock?
• Can the Conservatives restore faith in the business community?
• Who are the rising political stars and who is struggling to shine on the campaign trail?
• What would a Chancellor John McDonnell mean for businesses?

Featuring our expert panel

HANNAH WHITE – Deputy Director of the Institute for Government

Dr Hannah White has strategic oversight of the Institute’s programme of work on government, parliament and the civil service, focusing on our external relationships and impact.

Hannah has extensive knowledge of Westminster and Whitehall based on over a decade of experience in Parliament and the civil service. Before running the Committee on Standards in Public Life in the Cabinet Office, she was a clerk in the House of Commons managing select and legislative committees and advising on parliamentary procedure.

Hannah joined the Institute for Government in May 2014 and leads the Institute’s work on Parliament.

JAMES MORRIS – Managing Director at Edelman

James has advised Presidents, Prime Ministers and national party leaders in five countries as well as Chief Executives and senior leaders at companies and NGOs. His clients have included McKinsey, Sky, Draper, EY, Microsoft, Orsted, the TUC and Age UK. He is a former speechwriter to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and advisor at the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit.

A former pollster, James has deep expertise in using insight to drive corporate affairs strategy.

He comments regularly in the media and has appeared on the Today Programme, Newsnight, Sky News, and in the Times, New York Times, The New Yorker, New Statesman and Observer among others and has delivered lectures at the Blavatnik School of Government, Nuffield College Oxford and Kings College London.

POPPY TROWBRIDGE – ex-Director of Communications at The Exchequer & columnist for the Times and The Guardian

Poppy Trowbridge served as the Director of Communications at The Exchequer, working at the right hand of Chancellor Philip Hammond, from 2016-2019.

Before her time at the Treasury, Poppy was the Business and Economics Correspondent for Sky News and Bloomberg.

Today, Poppy is a columnist for The Times and The Guardian, as well as a regular pundit on Sky, BBC News, and high-profile political podcasts.

SEBASTIAN WHALE – Political Editor at The House magazine

BEN KENTISH – Political Correspondent at the Independent

Ben is a Political Correspondent at The Independent and has spent the last few weeks travelling around the country with the various political parties. He writes frequent comment and analysis pieces and often appears as a commentator on television and radio, including Sky News, the BBC, CNN, Al-Jazeera and LBC.

He previously worked for a media and policy adviser to senior MPs, helping them with strategy and communications. 

Want to come along?

This event will be held at the Ivy Club in London on Tuesday 19 November 2019 from 8 – 9.30 am. Pastries and refreshments will be served prior to the panel discussion.

Please email events@hansonsearch.com to request your place.