Articles and essays from our Party Conference Partners 2012

To mark the start of party conference season 2012, ResPublica have compiled a collection of articles and essays, with a number of diverse contributions from our fringe partners and speakers. Contributors include Norman Lamb MP, Minister for Care Services; David Burrowes MP, PPS to the Cabinet Office; George Freeman MP, Government Life Sciences Advisor; Lord Adebowale, Chief Executive, Turning Point; Sunder Katwala, Director, British Future; Phillip Blond, Director, ResPublica; Bishop Nazir-Ali and Neil Jameson, Chief Executive, Citizens UK.

The ResPublica fringe programme, amounting to an unprecedented 27 fringe events this year, demonstrates the potential for meaningful debate and innovative policy-making this party conference season. Our fringe discussions aim to tackle the big issues which face politics and society today, such as restoring association in a climate of low trust in political institutions, cultural integration and British identity, root causes of youth disaffection and the meaning of marriage in modern times. In response to the key challenges for the economy, we also will explore priorities for devolved growth and infrastructure finance, skills for a sustainable labour market, and plural business models – all taking into account the need for mutuality within markets and economic policies which also benefit social goals. And our vision for a social economy will also address a deficit in value and choice within public services, and the solutions which can be reached through personal budgets and personalisation of services rooted in community engagement.

These are themes that ResPublica will continue to explore beyond the party conferences, through our research, publications and events programme throughout the rest of the year. We have compiled this publication in order to extend these discussions to a wider audience. We also use social media to broadcast our events via the twitter hashtag #RPfringe. To keep updated follow @res_publica, and the ResPublica team @phillip_blond @carolinemacf @carolinejulian.