It was a huge pleasure to be able to take part in two fringe events at this year’s Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. Council commitments meant I was unable to attend for more than one day, however the palpable sense of excitement in fringe events was evident just from the few hours I spent mixing with Party colleagues.
Party Conference is also an opportunity to speak to ministers and I was pleased to be able to secure an appointment with a Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government minister, which suddenly became an impromptu photo with the Secretary of State James Brokenshire MP.
Monday afternoon I took part in an IPPR-led panel discussing productivity in the regions (you can read my Stoke-on-Trent related comments here), and then in the early evening, was part of the panel at the Midlands Connect #JointheJourney event. It was a pleasure to be joined by my colleague, Jack Brereton MP, for a bit of a Stoke-on-Trent double act;
Abi Brown said working alongside Midlands Connect has helped Stoke-on-Trent City Council secure government funding from the Transforming Cities Fund, while Stoke-on-Trent South MP Jack Brereton said it was vital Midlands Connect has a role in the upcoming government rail review – saying the Midlands network affects the whole country.