Key outcomes from our engagement:
1. The conferences demonstrated that economic growth remains central to political debate, but also that the parties have very different ideas about how to achieve it.
2. At the Labour Party conference, devolution and the ambition to deliver prosperity in every postcode were dominant themes. The range of discussions to which we invited to contribute demonstrated how much we are recognised as a valuable partner in this agenda.
3. The Conservative Party presented an increasingly defined economic offer focused on taxation and regulation, alongside welfare and security. The conference was noticeably more upbeat than the previous year, reflecting growing confidence within the party.
4. The Liberal Democrats made a deliberate pitch to the business community, positioning themselves as a party preparing for a potential role in government and placing a renewed relationship with the European Union at the heart of their economic argument.
5. At Reform UK, the commercial programme focused heavily on reducing regulation and taxation, alongside immigration reform and support for disruptive, high-growth businesses. However, this was accompanied by criticism of some larger companies, reinforcing the importance of ensuring that political debate is informed by a clear understanding of the industry’s contribution to employment, investment and growth.
6. The Green Party of England and Wales approached the economy from a markedly different perspective, with greater emphasis on distributing economic proceeds than on the conditions required to generate growth. This illustrated both the challenge and the value of extending our engagement to a wider range of political voices.
The breadth and scale of our 2026 programme represented an important step forward. We strengthened established relationships, opened new political conversations and ensured that members could engage directly with many of the people shaping the economic debate.
We will now build on those relationships, turning the conversations begun at conference into sustained engagement throughout the political year.
