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Conference 2008: Born Free & Equal

The Robin Cook Memorial Conference
Saturday 14 June 2008 • Institute of Education, London

banner_3How do we deliver EQUALITY in the 21st Century?


The first major gathering of progressives post the 2008 elections...

Over 60 speakers including:
Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP; Neal Lawson; Prof Ruth Lister CBE; Derek Simpson; Jon Cruddas MP; Polly Toynbee; Jon Trickett MP; Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP; Baroness Helena Kennedy QC; John Harris; Beatrix Campbell; Prof Danny Dorling; Chuka Umunna; Katharine Rake; Melissa Benn; Dr Tom Smith; Dr Alex Scott; Hilary Wainwright; Kate Green; Deborah Littman; Graeme Cooke; Matthew Pennycook; Tony Benn; Mick Shaw; Christine Shawcroft; Richard Murphy; Doreen Massey; Ann Pettifor; Jonathan Rutherford; Andrew Harrop; Patrick Diamond; Mark Perryman; Sunder Katwala; Peter Kellner; Rachel Reeves; Aditya Chakraborrty; Prof Gus John; Christine Blower; Bobby Duffy; Lord Anthony Giddens; Seema Malhotra; Julie Bindel; Milena Buyum; Kate Hudson; Zrinka Bralo; Sukhvinder Stubbs; Naomi Luhde-Thompson; Phil Michaels; John McDonnell MP; John Hilary; Hugh Lanning; Yasmin Qureshi; Wes Streeting - who'll be joined by other leading figures from across the Left and wider progressive community...

Hosting over 35 sessions organised by the leading think tanks, pressure groups, NGOS and publications all at the one event including: The Fawcett Society; Searchlight; NUT; Socialist Health Association; The Fabian Society; Progress; Crisis; NUS; Campaign for Therapy; Demos; Liberty; UNISON; Unions Together; CPAG; Amnesty International; War on Want; IPPR; Fair Pay Network; nef; Migrants Rights Network; Barrow Cadbury Trust; Red Pepper; RENEWAL; Tribune; Friends of the Earth; Labour Briefing; LRC; Soundings; Age Concern England; Electoral Reform Society; Make Votes Count; CND; LGBT Labour; Unions 21; Unlock Democracy; Compass Youth; End Child Poverty...

Why EQUALITY MATTERS - Born Free and Equal

Equality runs through everything Compass believes in and touches upon every issue - from housing, to workers rights, from poverty to life chances, from education to health: the solution and answer to every major domestic policy challenge we face should be whether or not the solution creates a more equal and fairer society.

Creating a more equal society is therefore the greatest challenge the Left faces - Britain is a hideously unequal society and is getting more so by the day. The poor are not treading water but sinking beneath the rising tide of the rich and the middle classes are struggling too. Working harder to keep up on the treadmill of the learn-to-earn consumer society is driving a social recession and deepening inequalities. If the Daily Mail can campaign against the greed and distorting affects of private equity houses then why can't Labour?

The fundamental goal of social democracy is equality, not because we value equality for its own sake, but because inequality limits life chances and life expectancy. It is not good enough to slow down the rate at which the gap between the rich and the poor is growing. The trend towards greater inequality has to be halted and reversed. After a decade in power the Labour government has made progress in some areas, but it has not delivered anywhere near enough or fast enough.

The purpose of this year's Compass National Conference will be to make the case for a more equal society and help change the terms of debate towards greater radicalism in delivering greater equality for all across a broad range of domestic policy areas. We believe everyone in life should be Born Free & Equal.

BOOK EARLY TO GUARANTEE YOUR PLACE

Come and get passionate about greater equality, debate how we create a new equal society for the 21st century, at the political highlight of the summer taking place a month after the May elections, at a brand new venue, with new facilities including a modern air-conditioned 1000 seat auditorium.

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