Please note that the venue for this event has changed. It will now take place at the Commonwealth Club, 25 Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5AP. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

James Purnell, MP for Stalybridge and Hyde
Jon Cruddas, MP for Dagenham
Will Hutton, Executive Vice-Chairman of the Work Foundation
Jess Search, Chief Executive of the Channel 4 British Documentary Film Foundation and the BRITDOC Festival
Lewis Iwu, Trustee of Debate Mate and former President of the Oxford University Student Union

Demos invites you to an evening of debate and conversation about the future of the Left, and to launch Open Left, a major new Demos project. 

The UK is embroiled in major political and economic crises. Now more than ever we need fresh new approaches to increasingly intractable policy problems. But the current uncertainties also require us to rethink what our political values and beliefs mean for modern times. 

The terms ‘Left’ and ‘Right’ are tossed about in political debate, yet there is no consensus about what being on the Left means in the UK. Whether it is the collapse of communism; the current crisis of capitalism; the tide of globalisation; the emergence of identity politics; the diversity of modern society; or the challenge of climate change, what it means to be on the Left has never been more contentious.  

Demos is delighted to host an evening of conversation about the future of the Left in the UK, with speakers including James Purnell MP, Jon Cruddas MP, and Will Hutton among others. This event also marks the launch of a major new Demos project – Open Left – aimed at renewing the ideas of the Left. 

The event will take place from 6.00-7.30pm on Monday 20 July, with a drinks reception to follow. We’d be grateful if you could arrive at least 15 minutes early to ensure a prompt start.

RSVP via the link above. Please contact events@demos.co.uk or 020 7367 4200 for additional information or to inform us of any access needs.