People and Public Services at the Convention of the Left
Tuesday 22nd september
Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, Manchester

How do we win the ideological battle that public services are better than private?
Some people accept private provision, paying for education and health, owning their own homes, running cars. Government cynically trashes public services and workers, to promote privatisation. We must convince people that collaboration is better than competition, planning better than the market.

How do we eliminate inequalities?
Poor housing and underachievement in schools lead to a cycle of poverty, deprivation and ill health. We need public services to provide solutions.

How do we democratise services involving users and workers?
Some local democracy existed when services were in public control. Privatisation and deregulation ended this. No-one now trusts local councils to give people a real say. We need new structures.

Provisional timetable - final listings may change

People and Public Services: Opening Plenary
12.30pm, Main Hall, Friends Meeting House
with Jeremy Corbyn MP and Javier Navasques (United Left, Sevilla)

Housing
1.00pm, meeting room, Friends Meeting House
with Professor Chris Allen (author of Housing market renewal and social class), Alan Walter (Defend Council Housing, pc), John Grayson (author of Opening the window: the hidden history of tenants organisations)

Transport
1.00pm, meeting room, Friends Meeting House
with Manchester Green party and friends followed by showing of Navigators - a film by Ken Loach

Education
5.00pm, meeting room, Friends Meeting House
with Bill Greenshields (president NUT, pc)

Health
5.00pm, meeting room, Friends Meeting House
with Dr John Lister (Health Emergency) and Karen Reissmann

Challenging Inequality - Reclaiming Public Services
7.00pm, Main Hall, Friends Meeting House
with Astørn Wahl, (Campaign for the Welfare State, Norway) and others