ICAEW Managing Director (Reputation and Influence) Iain Wright and Senior Policy and Public Affairs Executive Tom Leeman took the opportunity to engage with shadow ministers at this week’s Conservative Party Conference – the first since the party moved into opposition. 

The conference in Birmingham was principally devoted to speeches from the four remaining leadership contenders. However, Monday’s Business Day sessions included in-conversation events with Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt and Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Andrew Griffith, as well as a range of policy round tables.

ICAEW also collaborated extensively with Enterprise Forum, co-sponsoring its drinks reception on Monday evening alongside the Federation of Small Businesses, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. 

Hunt and Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade Kevin Hollinrake MP were guest speakers at the event. The latter urged attendees to hold the new government accountable on its approach to small business policy. Leeman spoke to both guest speakers and also met Peter Bedford MP, ICAEW member and newly elected member of parliament for Mid Leicestershire. 

Wright attended a lunch event organised by Enterprise Forum on Tuesday afternoon, with Hollinrake and Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Claire Coutinho both present.

“It was a pleasure to be at the Conservative Party Conference, as it was at other party conferences,” says Wright. “The party has just suffered a record defeat at the General Election, but the mood at the conference was energetic, buoyant and open to ideas. Speaking to leadership contenders and shadow ministers, they are keen to hear from ICAEW and its members as they look to rebuild and pull together a policy programme that they can put to the British people.” 

Shadow ministers who were in government are feeling the effects of not having the civil service to provide research, evidence and technical options, he says. “They particularly welcome the technical excellence and business acumen of ICAEW staff and its members to assist in building a business policy and provide effective opposition to the new government, and that is something we will do.”

Following the party conferences, ICAEW is now focusing on its priorities for the Budget and the UK economy, making the case for a long-term fiscal strategy, a business tax road map and other recommendations in its recent Budget submission.