I was delighted to spend the last few days in Manchester at a buoyant party conference. It was a great opportunity to speak with colleagues, business leaders and party activists. There was a strong local contingent present, and I am delighted to report I had lots of positive conversations.
As always, I undertook a number of constructive fringe events related to my role as a Shadow Minister. These included conversations on devolution, house building, and governance in London.
Shortly after arriving, I attended several receptions in honour of the excellent Conservative councillors across the country. Starting with the Local Government Association (LGA), I caught up with old colleagues. Having previously served on the LGA board, it was wonderful to discuss matters concerning Conservative-led councils across the country. Following this reception, I was delighted to attend the Conservative Councillors Association’s (CCA) reception and their inaugural Councillor of the Year award.
Monday at the party conference is always the busiest day. As it is business day, I am engaged in meeting business leaders while also appearing on panels. After talking at a Bright Blue panel on migration and attending an event hosted by the BBC, I met with leaders in the construction industry to discuss their concerns with Government legislation. Later in the afternoon, I spoke at further panels on devolution with the LGA before attending a reception with Kemi Badenoch and our London Conservative team.
On Tuesday, I spent more time engaging with activists and speaking on panels. During the day, I spoke on panels relating to Conservatives in London, devolution and the reindustrialisation of Britain. In the evening, I spoke about social cohesion on British streets along with the National Holocaust Museum, a timely panel after the horrendous terror attacks in Manchester on Yom Kippur last week.
While in Manchester, I was also delighted to meet charities that make a real difference to my constituents. Among the many charities there I met with: Marie Curie, Guide Dogs, MND Association and Cancer Research UK. I want to thank them all for their time and local support.
