Reflections on the 2024 Party Conferences

Join us for a Virtual session hosted by Group CEO Robin Mackenzie, with Evie Aspinall, Director of BFPG and Nick Forbes, our Senior Advisor. They will share their reflections on the Labour Party Conference - from discussions around geo-politics and policy through to the insights they picked up and their general observations of the mood of the first conference for the new Labour government. They will also cover observations from the Conservative Conference, followed by a Q&A.

Evie Aspinall, Director, British Foreign Policy Group:

Evie leads BFPG's programme of research and events and co-convenes the UK Soft Power Group. Evie holds a BA from the University of Cambridge and an MSc from King’s College London. She has previously worked at UN Women UK and the Future Leaders Network and was formerly the UK Head Delegate to the Youth7, the G7’s official youth engagement group. She also served as President of Cambridge University Students’ Union. She is a regular commentator in the media on issues pertinent to UK foreign policy.

Nick Forbes CBE, Senior Advisor at Strategy International:

Nick served as the Labour Leader of Newcastle City Council from 2011 to 2022, bringing more than £1.5bn of investment into the city. Nick was the (annually elected) Leader of the Local Government Association Labour Group for 6 years, and in this role was invited by Sir Keir Starmer to attend Shadow Cabinet meetings, representing the increasingly powerful voice of local and regional government within the Labour Party.

Nick served for 12 years on the National Policy Forum and for 6 years on the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party. Nick has been Chair of Core Cities UK (establishing the influential Climate Change Finance Investment Commission) and Vice Chair of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Authority. He was awarded a CBE in 2019 for services to Local Government.