Emma Bishton’s Conference Diary
– Emma was Labour’s parliamentary candidate for South Suffolk at the general election and is a long-time party activist and campaigner in the constituency.
Another busy day which started with a really long queue to get through the security gates. Party conferences provide an opportunity for members and pressure groups to promote particular areas or events of interest in the hope of influencing members, and ultimately, party policy. And there is no better place to do that than to the captive audience in the security queue! I particularly enjoyed the rousing singing of Ode to Joy (also known as the EU anthem) this morning.
Once inside the cordon, one of the things you really notice at conference is that politicians you’re used to seeing on the television screen, or reading about in the newspaper or on social media, are in fact real people. As well as seeing familiar looking people as you walk around, you see the expressions on their faces, and the interactions between Cabinet members when they finish their speeches. In particular there was such warmth between Labour Chair, Ellie Reeves MP, and her sister Rachel, as they embraced after the Chancellor’s speech (as they had after Ellie’ own speech on Sunday).
Other cabinet members – including Ed Milliband and Jonathan Reynolds – gave great speeches today, like Rachel Reeves all setting out how manifesto commitments are now turning into government action (some of it very quickly!). And Anas Sarwar proved that you don’t need to be Scottish to be drawn to his passion and conviction for change in Scotland.
One of the advantages of being at conference is the opportunity to network in the breaks. Not just with fellow Labour activists, but also with people, organisations and causes. Charities, as well as businesses, attend party conferences to spread the word about what they do to a captive audience of several thousand people at each conference. In my work as a musician and teacher in South Suffolk I work with people with Parkinson’s and people who are visually impaired. So whilst looking round the exhibition centre this morning I was delighted to meet up with senior staff from Parkinson‘s UK (now invited to visit my singing group), and with staff from RNIB, with whom I discussed the challenges visually impaired people can experience when seeking to cast their vote, and how we might help address those challenges locally.
Rachel Reeves – who remained dignified and calm despite the protest during her speech – said in her speech that she joined the Labour Party after hearing one of the seminal messages of the 1997 Labour government: “Education, Education, Education”. And I finished this evening at an education event that, as a music teacher, is close to my heart: the launch of the Arts and Minds campaign. This event was made all the more joyful by a live performance from the wonderful Doncaster Youth Jazz Association (DJYA), which drew people attending other fringe events into the room! Our new government has already committed to a review of school curriculum and accountability, and to putting the arts back into schools. (I could go on at length at the damage done to the arts in schools by Michael Gove and his legacy over the last 14 years but lets’ focus on Conference.) Led by the National Education Union (NEU), this new campaign brings together organisations and individuals to influence the detail and ensure that the manifesto commitment is implemented in full. You couldn’t find better advocates for this cause than the young people from the band who spoke of the importance of music in their lives, not just for itself but for the confidence, experiences, friendships and wellbeing that if brings them. A wonderful ending to another really interesting day.