Diverse discussion of issues

CONFERENCE Calls was a panel discussion on politics.

Led by Bidisha Mamata, the guests were Iain Dale, Lord Ricketts and Rabina Khan.

Dale presents the Evening Show on LBC and is an award-winning author and political commentator.

Khan is Liberal Democrat councillor for Tower Hamlets and one of London’s most prominent hijabi politicians.

Ricketts was the UK’s first national security adviser under David Cameron and chaired the joint intelligence committee under Tony Blair.

The panel covered many topics in the hour, examining the Queen’s legacy, Liz Truss, former US president Donald Trump, Iran and Ukraine.

It began with a reminder of the challenges currently faced by British politicians and workers.

Due to a train strike held that day, Dale had been stuck in traffic and made a dramatic late entrance, racing on to the stage.

Khan spoke passionately about the heroic efforts made by everyday people to challenge injustices.

Expressing her frustration at the comparative apathy of politicians, her passionate speech resulted in applause from the audience.

She also told of the threats she has received as a female MP.

Drawing on his 40 years’ experience as a diplomat, Ricketts explained the likelihood of nuclear war with Russia.

Reflecting on Brexit and the UK’s international relations, he expressed hopes that the younger generation would restore Britain’s relationship with Europe.

Dale spoke powerfully about the rise of populist leaders across Europe and the toxicity of social media.

He remarked that politicians were more reluctant to do interviews today as the current media format left little room for conversation.

As an interviewer, Mamata commanded the stage, providing a strong introduction for her speakers.

She added structure with her clear questions and masterfully facilitated the question-and-answer session at the end.

Mamata praised the discussion as a testament to the value of “nuance, collegiality and diversity of points of view”.

This summarises perfectly what I felt were the main takeaways from the discussion. In a time when political point-scoring seems the default and the internet offers little space for nuance, this respectful panel was informative and very refreshing.

Lucie Richardson