LDW sessions at Autumn Conference 2020

Liberal Democrat conference has gone online and we are looking forward to seeing you there! Here are some of our highlights to look out for. 

The Lib Dem Women fringe focusing on the impact of Covid on women's employment takes place at 6.45pm on Sunday. The COVID-19 crisis has disproportionately hurt women in its impact on the economy. Join us in a discussion of practical policies that can protect women’s jobs, provide opportunities through government investment, and how we can support women-run businesses in our fringe meeting Protecting Women’s Employment in the COVID-19 Crisis and Beyond. The session, hosted by our chair Helen Cross, will feature a panel discussion with Emma Degg, Vicky Pryce, Prof Fiona Beveridge and Munira Wilson MP.

The fringe will be followed by our famous conference cocktails, giving people a chance to continue the conversation, start new ones - held on Zoom rather than in the conference space.

Training is a key part of conference, and the Campaign for Gender Balance are running a number of sessions focused on helping women succeed within the party and for elections. 

• Friday, 7.30pm: How the Campaign for Gender Balance can help women succeed in the Lib Dems
• Sunday, 10.30am: Getting ready for a selection campaign. Women only session
• Sunday, 2.30pm: Resilience for women candidates
• Monday, 5.45pm: Building your profile ready for a selection - women only

Another valuable training session we would like to highlight is the Unconscious Bias training run by HQ's Diversity team at 2.30pm on Saturday.

In the main auditorium, there are sure to be plenty of interesting debates, starting with Universal Basic Income on Friday at 7.50pm. Lib Dem Women vice chair Liz Jarvis wrote on this issue for the Independent recently in a personal capacity and hopes to speak on the motion at conference. 

Our chair Helen Cross will be keenly watching the Racial Justice Cannot Wait debate at 10.50am on Sunday after contributing to the motion with another of her Lib Dem hats on - as a member of the Federal Policy Committee. Christine Jardine, who gave us such a brilliant public speaking masterclass earlier this month, will be moving the motion. 

Do recommend these sessions to colleagues as well!

We have an exhibition booth so do swing by to visit. You can leave a chat message for us at any time, or the booth will be wo-manned for a couple of hours a day. Join us noon to 12.45pm or 4.30pm to 5.15pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

There is obviously a lot more to discover besides and we look forward to seeing you in a wide range of auditorium, fringe and training sessions.