As the autumn chill creeps in and September draws to a close, party conference is now fully underway, with the Liberal Democrats in Bournemouth this week and Labour gathering in Liverpool on Sunday.
There is also a significant UN General Assembly, while British and Canadian leaders are set to meet at an event in London on Friday.
Lib Dems in focus
Party conference season continues, with ‘business day’ at the Liberal Democrat party conference today (22 September), followed by the keynote speech from leader Sir Ed Davey tomorrow.
Our preview feature last week looked at what the party has been saying on trade in recent months, and Davey’s speech is likely to give extra insight on its positions around issues like UK-EU trade and decarbonisation. A motion on ‘making the EU-UK reset count’ is being discussed today, and follows hot on the heels of the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade’s new report, ‘Reimagining UK-EU trade and cooperation’.
The Labour government’s agenda
Following the Lib Dems, the Labour Party will host its own annual conference from Sunday.
The focus will likely to fall on the economy, which failed to grow in July, but may be soon receiving a boost from a freshly-approved second runway at Gatwick Airport. Marco Forgione, director general of the Chartered Institute, has previously said that “airports are essential to driving UK trade growth, not only in terms of goods exports but also in supporting UK services exports, which form around 80% of the UK economy”.
Labour’s conference is also likely to feature plenty of discussion on foreign relations, and may explore the implications of Sir Keir Starmer’s government’s recent success in securing billions in new investment from the US.
The party’s selection of a new deputy leader looms too, meanwhile, with nominations closing on Saturday, and contenders Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell taking questions at an online event with the Labour Business group this evening. Starmer himself is set to explore the theme of ‘patriotism’ on Friday, according to Politico, as he delivers a speech ahead of the conference.
Today, city minister Lucy Rigby will be at Mansion House to mark the signing of a new MoU with Switzerland under the Berne Financial Services Agreement. The agreement is intended to smooth business dealings between the two countries.
Chartered Institute events
This week’s events from the Chartered Institute include the next Lunchtime Learning session, this time looking at the EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and what it means for businesses. That’s taking place on Wednesday at noon and members can sign up for that one here.
On Thursday, Forgione will speak to members as part of the latest Connect & Grow update, which also gives attendees a chance to network with fellow members online. It is also a forum to share feedback that influences the direction of the Chartered Institute.
Members can sign up for the 11am event here.
Reports
This week will also see the publication of a host of important reports, after last week’s World Trade Organization (WTO) annual report explored the major potential ramifications of AI for the global trading system.
The OECD’s Interim Economic Outlook report will examine trends across the world’s economies and will offer some indication of the ongoing effect of US President Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs on allies and rivals alike. The most recent such report in June revised down expectations for global growth in 2025 from 3.1% to 2.9%.
The Stockholm Environment Institute’s (SEI) Production Gap Report, out today, offers a close-up on progress towards keeping global warming to 1.5°C – something it says governments are failing to achieve quickly enough.
Making the headlines this week
The most significant summit this week may well be the convergence of world leaders for the UN General Assembly in New York, where the UK and France will formally recognise Palestine as a state, following a statement on the subject from Starmer yesterday. Canada and Australia have done the same.
The theme for this year’s meeting is ‘Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights’.
The UK will also host the World Bank/ODI Conference on Global Finance on Thursday, which will explore issues from job creation and government procurement to “international tax reform”, featuring economic research from projects in Brazil, Pakistan and elsewhere.
The same day, the World Climate and Biodiversity Summit will take place in New York alongside the UN General Assembly, bringing representatives from “business, government, finance, academia and civil society” together to address challenges to the natural world.
Friday will also feature a ‘Global Progress Action Summit’ in London, with speakers including Starmer, his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney, and Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau. Themes are expected to include “economic growth that delivers for working people” and migration.
Other dates for the diary
Monday: EU FCCI consumer confidence survey published
Tuesday: Manufacturing and services PMIs published for UK, US, Eurozone and more; UK Customs Academy Virtual Open Day also to take place at 2pm
Wednesday: Barack Obama to speak in London for ‘An Evening with President Obama’ at the O2
Thursday: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Trader (SMMT) automotive production stats published
Friday: Final Q2 GDP estimate for Spain published
Saturday: Deadline for reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran over nuclear programme
Sunday: Parliamentary elections in Moldova
