Throughout the autumn party conference season, the Enterprise Forum brought business leaders and policymakers together for a series of discussions on the challenges facing UK enterprise and the conditions needed for growth.
The season began on 4 September at the Reform UK Conference in Birmingham. In partnership with Make UK, the Enterprise Forum hosted a panel discussion titled “The Cost-of-Doing-Business Crisis: What British Industry Actually Needs.” The panel featured Richard Tice MP, Reform UK Spokesperson for Business, Trade and Energy and Deputy Leader, alongside Daniel Paterson, Director of Policy and Government Affairs at Make UK, and Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association. Chaired by Hicham Felter, Director of the Enterprise Forum, the conversation focused on the real pressures facing British businesses, including rising energy costs, higher employment costs, regulatory burdens, skills shortages and supply-chain challenges that affect manufacturers and many other sectors alike
At the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Brighton, the Enterprise Forum held a Business Lunch in partnership with ADS Group Ltd. Guests heard from Sarah Olney MP, Liberal Democrat Business Spokesperson, Joshua Reynolds MP, Investment and Trade Spokesperson, Lord Chris Fox, Lords Spokesperson for Business, and Charlie Maynard, Chief Secretary Spokesperson. Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS, shared industry insights, while the discussion was chaired by Craig Stevenson, Enterprise Forum Director. The lunch provided a valuable platform for open exchange on business priorities, investment and trade.
During Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, attention turned to “Delivering growth for the UK’s everyday economy.” Held at the iconic Love Lane Brewery, the session brought together policymakers, business leaders and industry representatives to examine the pressures facing businesses across the UK, including rising operating and energy costs, skills shortages, productivity challenges and the need to build greater resilience. Speakers included the Rt Hon James Murray MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General, John Watts, former Special Adviser to Tony Blair, Melanie Proffitt, Global President of ACCA, Jennifer Pheasey, Director of Public Affairs at the Horticultural Trades Association, and Barry Watts, Head of Public Affairs at SIBA. The discussion was chaired by Natascha Engel, former MP and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. Attendees enjoyed beer from Perivale Brewery, based in James Murray’s Ealing North constituency. The strong audience of business leaders and stakeholders made for a constructive conversation on the conditions businesses need to grow, invest and remain resilient.
The Enterprise Forum’s presence at Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham was marked by two flagship events. On 5 October, the Business Reception took place in the Symphony Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency. Andrew Griffith MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, was the special guest speaker. Dr Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Building, spoke on behalf of the partner organisations. The evening was compered by the Forum’s President, the Rt Hon the Lord Eric Pickles. Partners included the ABI, ACCA, ACS, ADS, CIOB, Federation of Master Builders, Horticultural Trades Association, ICAEW, Make UK and UK Private Capital. Guests enjoyed craft beer from Hepworth Brewery, based in Andrew Griffith’s Arundel and South Downs constituency, courtesy of SIBA.
The following day, the President’s Lunch was held in partnership with the Construction Products Association, the Construction Plant-hire Association, the Energy and Utilities Alliance and the Mineral Products Association. Guest speakers were Katie Lam MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Peter Bedford MP, a member of the Work and Pensions Committee. The event was hosted by Lord Eric Pickles, with Rob Lee of the Construction Products Association speaking on behalf of the partner organisations. The discussion covered housing, planning and the wider built environment, issues central to UK growth and investment.
Across all four conferences, the Enterprise Forum created space for meaningful dialogue between business and politics. These events reinforced the organisation’s commitment to ensuring that the voice of enterprise is heard clearly across the political spectrum.
The Board of Directors of The Enterprise Forum has voted to freeze the annual membership renewal fee for two years, recognising the budget pressures and rising costs many members face.
This means that the cost of a renewal will remain unchanged for any renewal in the next 24 months, i.e. to 31 August 2028.
The Enterprise Forum provides a two-way channel of communication and an independent middle ground where business can meet and debate policy with key policymakers, and an open forum for networking with other industry professionals. In 2026 alone we have already engaged (or will engage) with six of the main political parties in England, Scotland and Wales through a full programme of events.
We typically hold several events each month. These include manifesto discussions, meetings with select committee members and ministers, business lunches and receptions at the major party conferences, specialist roundtables, and sessions with Metro Mayors. The programme this year spans Westminster, Holyrood and the Senedd, covering topics from growth and industrial strategy to skills, trade, energy and the cost of doing business.
Membership will continue to deliver engagement with decision-makers, timely insight, and networking with peers and partners across sectors—all without any increase in cost for the next two years.
The Board of Directors is grateful for The Enterprise Forum’s members continued support.
The Enterprise Forum, in partnership with the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), successfully delivered a series of in-person business discussions with Wales’ major political parties ahead of the 2026 Senedd Elections.
Over two days on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 January 2026, business leaders and members engaged directly with senior representatives from the Welsh Conservatives, Welsh Labour, Welsh Liberal Democrats, and Reform UK. The Plaid Cymru session was held on Thursday 26 February 2026. The focused one-hour sessions gave attendees a valuable opportunity to question and discuss each party’s economic, infrastructure, and business priorities as they prepare their manifestos for the upcoming Senedd Elections.
The full programme included:
All events took place in Cardiff and were held exclusively for Enterprise Forum members and partners.
With profound sadness, The Enterprise Forum mourns the passing of Oliver Colvile. Oliver served, with vigour and humour, on the board of the Forum from 2005 to 2010. He stood down from the board on being elected to Parliament as the member for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, a constituency he served with huge diligence until 2017. On ceasing to be an MP, Oliver demonstrated his commitment to the Forum by rejoining the board in 2019 until poor health forced his resignation in 2023.
We will greatly miss our lovely friend and colleague.
Oliver Colvile died on the morning of 21 October 2025. His death was announced by Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP in the House of Commons. Tributes were made by Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP on behalf of the Government and Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP.
The Enterprise Forum delivered a series of events at the 2025 party conferences, bringing together senior parliamentarians, industry leaders and stakeholders to debate economic growth, skills and trade.
Liberal Democrat Conference – Bournemouth
The Enterprise Forum’s Lunch, in partnership with ADS, took place on 21 September and featured keynote addresses from Daisy Cooper MP, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Treasury spokesperson, and The Rt Hon The Lord Fox, Business and Trade spokesperson in the House of Lords.
Labour Party Conference – Liverpool
On 30 September, The Enterprise Forum’s Liverpool Business Reception – held in partnership with the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA), UKHospitality and Heathrow – welcomed guests to the Heathrow Lounge at ACC Liverpool. Chaired by Natascha Engel, the event featured Rt Hon James Murray MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury; Bill Esterson MP, Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee; and Paul Nowak, General Secretary of the TUC. Attendees enjoyed craft beer from Liverpool’s Neptune Brewery (courtesy of SIBA).
Conservative Party Conference – Manchester
The Enterprise Forum, in partnership with the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA), hosted a series of discussions in Edinburgh on 16 and 17 September 2025 for Enterprise Forum members and politicians from the SNP, Scottish Conservatives, and Scottish Labour.
On the afternoon of Tuesday 16 September, Daniel Johnson MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Business and Fair Work, joined members for a lunchtime discussion. Later on the same day, Russell Findlay MSP, Leader of the Scottish Conservatives; Craig Hoy MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government; and Rachael Hamilton MSP, Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, attended a dinner with Enterprise Forum members.The final event of the programme in Edinburgh was with Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister for Small Business, Innovation, Tourism and Trade, who joined a lunchtime Enterprise Forum discussion on Wednesday 17 September 2025.
