Labour Party Conference 2023 - Monday

Day 3 of conference for me started with another morning run along the Mersey and back (3.4 miles different direction from yesterday).I met on route an influential Council leader who berated me for running so late in the day. He had gone for his run that day at 4am! 

I had to do some union casework stuff in the morning then started the day with meeting a former Newham Councillor ,who now works for a campaign group and one of their researchers. It was really interesting environmental subject matter, which by coincidence, was linked to my LAPFF fringe from yesterday. I really hope we can can work together on this issue and others. 

Next I went to a social housing fringe on supporting strong communities sponsored by Guinness Partnership (not the brewery!).  Some good ideas and provocative speakers but nothing from actual tenants or housing trade unions. 

I left early to go to a 121 London UNISON Labour Link meet but stopped off at the Friends of Israel fringe venue, which was packed with delegates discussing the dreadful war and massacres that has erupted. Many of the Israeli political speakers who were due to speak at conference have cancelled since they have been called up as reservists to fight.  I asked about an old school friend of mine, who had emigrated to Israel and had served in the Army, whether he would be called up at age 60 and was told he probably would be but not for a front line position. 

Afterwards I went to one of the very few pension fringes at conference this year about "Pension saving under a Labour Government". A really important issue and it is astonishingly how little is known about what Labour will do if in power on pensions (if we win, obviously fingers and toes crossed).  I asked a question on possible Collective Defined Contribution schemes being a possible way forward in my Housing associations and Charities sector which got a maybe but positive response.

I went back to my flat to do some more case work and then went to the Labour Housing Group fringe which was really packed. Interesting that so many people "in suits" attended compared to previous conference LHG fringes in recent years. I am sure that this has nothing to do with the perceived likelihood of Labour winning the next general election (again fingers and toes crossed). 

Afterwards I discovered I had triple overbooked myself and could not attend my favourite conference fringe, the Labour Irish, but went for an arranged meal with Newham comrades at a great turkish restaurant in Bold Street. 1.5 days to go. 

Labour Party Conference 2023 - Saturday

Today, after my Newham Councillor surgery,  I travelled to Liverpool for the 2023 Labour Party conference. I had to go into the conference office (yet again) to pick up my credentials since they had not arrived by post. 

Since this is my 3rd Labour movement conference in Liverpool this year, I feel that I am starting to know my way around the city. 

I will blog and post on conference further. Tomorrow (Sunday), I am speaking on "greenwashing" in pensions at the LAPFF fringe at 12.30.

How can we put an end to greenwashing? Labour Party Conference fringe meeting - Sunday 8 October, 12.30-1.30 Room 25, Liverpool ACC

 CHAIR

·        Clive Betts MP, Chair Parliament Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee

SPEAKERS

·        Baroness Blake of Leeds, Lords Spokesperson Energy and Net Zero

·        Cllr John Gray, Vice Chair, Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF)

·        Cllr Rishi Madlani, SERA - Labour’s Environment Campaign and Chair, London Borough of Camden Pensions Committee

BACKGROUND

There is widespread concern and public anger about companies making misleading and sometimes false statements about their environmental credentials. The issue is also on the radar of regulators and governments with growing interest about the use of terms and labels such as ‘sustainable’. Although interventions are starting to be made will they be enough to guard against the dangers that greenwashing poses?

For government, such dangers include delayed action to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and avoid the worst effects of climate change. It also poses significant risks to our financial system and for investors. Unclear or misleading disclosures from companies could mean risks are masked and action is not taken by investors through their stewardship activity. Equally, misleading financial products also carry with it the risk that capital is misallocated while also undermining confidence in green products and sustainable investment.

The fringe event will discuss what more needs to be done nationally and internationally to improve disclosures and taxonomies and tackle greenwashing? And in the UK, what roles should government, councils, investors, companies and civil society play to end greenwashing?  

As the event is open to all people attending the conference it will not be held under Chatham House Rules.

FRINGE HOSTS

The event is supported by the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF), which represents the interests of 87 UK public sector (LGPS) pension fund members and seven Pools with combined assets of over £350bn. LAPFF promotes the highest standards of corporate governance to protect the long-term value of local authority pension funds. It does so primarily by engaging some of the world’s largest companies on environmental, social and governance issues.

The Smith Institute, an independent, not-for-profit think tank, is the co-host, providing the secretariat for the fringe event.

CONTACT ON THE DAY Paul Hackett

Picture https://lapfforum.org/engagements/were-going-to-need-a-bigger-planet/