Autumn Conferences – London and Manchester
We are looking forward to three free speech conferences this autumn. At the time of writing tickets are still available for all three so there should be at least one to interest you.
1. BATTLE OF IDEAS FESTIVAL
SATURDAY 17 & SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER 2026
Conversations for the public, with the public, in public. An unmissable weekend of debate and discussion on the most important political, economic, scientific, and cultural issues of our time organised by the Academy of Ideas.
Church House, Westminster, London
FREE SPEECH ALLOWED #BattleFest @acadofideas
To get a 20% discount on tickets click below:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/
And for more details about this event see here: https://www.battleofideas.org.uk
Politics in Pubs will have a stall at the festival. Stop by and say hello.
2. NILIA 2026
Saturday 14th November 10 to 5pm
Northern Independent Ladies In Action: grassroots campaigning for women’s rights in the UK.
This is a women only conference and will take place in a in Central Manchester venue.
Speakers include: Julia Long, Stephanie Davies-Arai, Kate Barker and Kathleen Richardson.
Panel discussions include, Repeal the GRA, the impact of technology on women’s rights and the Proposed Conversion Practices Bill.
There will also be comedy, banner making, and self defence workshops.
To find out more, including how to buy tickets, click here. Unfortunately the event has been semi-cancelled by Eventbrite for contravening “community guidelines”, presumably because it dares to be a women only conference. So you can’t search for event, but the link will take you there.
Please share with any woman you think may be interested in attending.
3. Manchester Fringe Book Festival is back!
Saturday 28 November 2026 9.30 – 6.15pm followed by an evening social
Location: City Centre Manchester (venue will be released the day before the event)
Standard all day £37 Concession all day £20 (low/no wage, student, accompanied young person over 14) Buy tickets: https://tinyurl.com/MFBF2026
The event is organised by Women’s Rights Network Greater Manchester
Registration from 9.30am
10.15am Joanna Cherry KC or Michael Foran
11.45am Cathy Devine or Jenny Lindsay
2pm Marcus & Sue Evans or Nimco Ali OBE
3.30pm Michael Foran or Joanna Cherry KC
5pm Panel: Breaking Publishing’s Wall of Silence. How various tools like groupthink, cancel culture and shunning were used in the publishing industry and what are the implications for free speech going forward?
Chair: Nick Wallis
Panel Members Jenny Lindsay (Author), Nimco Ali OBE (Author, Activist and co-founder of The Five Foundation), Marnie Riches (Author, CEO and Founder of Culture Together) and Julia Williams (Co-Chair of SEEN in Publishing).
6.15pm Close followed by evening social and stand up by Elaine Miller
