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The latest version of the programme can be found on the conference registration site

The version on this page is based was updated after our 11 July meeting and the 'phone confernce on 21 July. Since then it has become clear that John McDonnell MP will only be available for the second day, so his spot on Panel 5 "Preventive war" has been deleted.

Law, Peace and Accountability:

Is Government listening to Concerned Citizens?

TUESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER:  THE PROBLEM

Default time for speakers 10 minutes minimum, 15 minutes maximum, providing time for discussion

9.30      Registration and Coffee

10.00    Welcome and Introduction:  The scope and aims of the two-day event Pat Haward

10.10    Panel 1: Review of International and Domestic Law from the viewpoint of concerned activists followed by questions.  Chair Pat Haward,  Nick Grief, Rob Manson

11.10    Break

11.30    Panel 2: Difficulties experienced by citizens in relating to government Chair Jim McCluskey

1.      Lack of transparency on the part of government. Ann Feltham, 

2.      Problems with public representations. e.g. public consultations Paul Dorfman.  

3.      Do the government and officials share the same values and presuppositions about the role and nature of Britain as activists?(“Trident and British Identity” Bradford University) Dr Nick Ritchie,

4.      Responsiveness or otherwise of Parliament on foreign policy issues. Dr Andrew Blick

1.00     Lunch

2.00      Panel 3: How we Relate to Public Opinion Chair George Farebrother

1.      How far do activists’ concerns reflect public opinion?

2.      Public apathy and impotence in the face of the issues

3.      Need to obtain clarity for activists in understanding how Government works London Assembly Member Jenny Jones,  Carol Naughton, Milan Rai

3.00      Panel 4: Relating to MPs, MEPs and decision makers and their willingness or unwillingness to engage in the issues Chair Tony Kempster, Norman Baker,  Clare Short MP, Rosie Houldsworth , George Farebrother

3.30      Break

4.00      Panel 5: Some case studies:  Chair Jenny Maxwell

1.      Trident renewal Angie Zelter ,

2.      Torture, Rendition, “War on Terror” Gareth Peirce

3.      An example of successful interaction between citizens and Government, Jackie Chase

5.20      Closing remarks:  Pat Haward

WEDNESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER :  THE WAY FORWARD

9.30      Welcome and Plenary Session: Chair Peter Nicholls

1.      Varieties of dialogue and contact: petitions, face-to-face meetings, events, letters to the press use of media, information technology Jenny Maxwell, George Farebrother, Ashley Woods

2.      What we hope to achieve from the workshops Pat Haward.  Two minute accounts of their workshops by each facilitator. 

10.30    Break

Discussion Groups: participants will choose 4 of six. Each group will retain its rapporteur and, in some cases key people throughout all four sessions. Facilitators may revolve around groups if they wish to. Other participants will probably revolve around their 4 workshops unless they prefer to stay in the same one. 

The Discussion Groups will consider:

1. How best to approach MPs and decision makers.
2. How we can go about creating an archive of common responses from government and politicians?
3. How we can develop a bank of useful responses based on the advice of lawyers
4. What can we learn from related work carried out by other organisations? How can we reach out  to like-minded groups and to the public, bearing in mind public opinion? 
5. How to make the most effective use of IT and the media. 
6. Can we identify one or more specific projects as a test-case for our dialogue.  What structures and procedures for developing and monitoring our future work can we set up?  

10.45    First Discussion Group

11.45    Second Discussion Group       

12.45    Lunch

1.45      Plenary Audio Visual presentation: “Morality of Nuclear Deterrence” Flowchart, Martin Birdseye

2.15      Third Discussion Group

3.15      Fourth Discussion Group

4.15      Break for rapporteurs to compose their reports

5.00      Plenary Session:  a panel to consider and respond to group reports: Membership to be decided 

5.30      Closing remarks:  summary of the way forward and future developments George Farebrother