IfG at the Conservative Party Conference 2025
The IfG was in Manchester for the Conservative Party Conference 2025.
The IfG has a big presence at the party conferences, hosting a wide-ranging and impactful programme of fringe events.
All events have been added to our IfG Events podcast feed, follow and listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Monday 6 October
Industrial strategy, tariffs and global trade: Is the government's strategy working?
Listen to the event
Speakers:
- Rt Hon Lord Willetts, Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office and former Minister for Universities and Science
- Helen Bower-Easton CBE, Director of Communications at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
- Professor Nigel Brandon OBE, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Professor of Sustainable Development in Energy at Imperial College London
- Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
- Giles Wilkes, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government
This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.
This event was held in partnership with Imperial College London.
Photos from this event are available on our Flickr.
What is the Conservative route to fiscal sustainability?
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Speakers:
- Richard Fuller MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
- Thomas Pope, Deputy Chief Economist at the Institute for Government
- Ryan Shorthouse, Executive Chair at Bright Blue
- Trinh Tu, Managing Director, Public Affairs at Ipsos UK
This event was chaired by Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government.
Photos from this event are available on our Flickr.
How should devolution across the North of England be successfully implemented and enhanced?
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Speakers:
- David Simmonds MP, Shadow Minister for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
- Dr Tom Arnold, Research Associate at the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place
- Cllr Abi Brown OBE, Deputy Leader of the Local Government Association Conservative Group
- Helen Gbormittah, Regional Director, North West at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)
This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.
This event was held in partnership with the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place at the University of Liverpool.
Photos from this event are available on our Flickr.
The future structure of the Post Office (private roundtable)
This event was held in partnership with Post Office.
Tuesday 7 October
What should Conservative energy policy look like? (private roundtable)
This event was held in partnership with Energy UK and SSE.
How can mayors improve skills and productivity to drive regional growth?
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Speakers:
- Mayor Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
- Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester
- Cllr Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Economic Growth and Prosperity at Essex County Council
This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.
This event was held in partnership with Policy@Manchester - The University of Manchester.
Photos from this event are available on our Flickr.
How should the Conservative Party rethink its vision for public services?
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Speaker:
- Baroness Barran MBE, Shadow Minister for Education
- Dr Kieran Mullan MP, Shadow Minister for Justice
- Cllr Abi Brown OBE, Deputy Leader of the Local Government Association Conservative Group
This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.
Photos from this event are available on our Flickr.
How should governments rewire the state to get things done?
Listen to the event
Speakers:
- Rt Hon Jesse Norman MP, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
- Caroline Elsom, Head of Reshaping The State at Onward
- Eve Norridge, Head of Research at Onward
- Dr Hannah White, Director of the Institute for Government
This event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.
This event was held in partnership with Onward.
Photos from this event are available on our Flickr.
The Institute for Government is grateful to the following organisations for their support of these Conservative Party Conference 2025 events:
IfG at the 2025 party conferences:
Contact the IfG Events Team if you have any general questions or queries about our conference activity: partyconference@instituteforgovernment.org.uk
In the meantime, view our work programme to learn about our plans for 2025 and beyond.