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York Festival of Ideas focus day: Banking reform, economic growth and Britain and the EU

Posted on 5 June 2014

Economists, business leaders, policymakers and third sector experts will discuss the future of the British economy, whether banks will ever regain public trust, how a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU could affect UK commerce and why poverty is not good for business on 20 June.

Economic Growth for the many not the few, in partnership with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, will include keynote speeches from Bob Swarup, author of the acclaimed Money Mania, Philip Coggan, author of The Last Vote: The Future of Western Democracy, and Julia Unwin, Chief Executive Officer at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Panel debates will include Andrew Sentence, former Bank of England Deputy Governor, Diane Coyle, City Growth Commission panellist and Visiting Professor at Manchester University, Margaret Heffernan, CEO and financial expert, policy analysts Andrew Lilico and Steve Hughes, economists and emerging market experts including Professors Danny Quah and Richard Werner, and commentators from The Economist and Prospect magazine.

Issues debated will include how to create more and better jobs, what cities like York can do to challenge the economic hegemony of London, the rise of emerging markets in countries such as Brazil and China, and the future of democracy. The day will close with a panel debate on Britain and the Eurozone, discussing a new model for Europe to support job creation and stronger economies.

Joan Concannon, Director of the Festival and Director of External Relations at the University of York, said: “We are delighted once again to partner with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to explore major issues affecting all our daily lives. The success and economic resilience of the city of York and the broader economy should be of concern to everyone. I look forward very much to hearing from such an experienced and entertaining group of speakers on how a city like York can continue to develop its economic strength and encourage more and better job creation that benefit the many and not the few.”

Starting at 10am on Friday 20 June at the University’s Ron Cooke Hub, all talks are free to attend and aimed at non-specialist audiences. Tickets are available at: http://yorkfestivalofideas.com/2014/focus-days/economic-growth/.

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