logo
Alastair Campbell headlines successful event with accountancy firm Price Bailey

Alastair Campbell headlines successful event with accountancy firm Price Bailey

Over 200 business leaders attended the standout event hosted by Price Bailey in London
Discussion explored the divide between business leaders and MPs on tax reform and investment priorities for economic growth, a theme uncovered through Price Bailey's new report, Bridging the Divide
LONDON, July 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Leading chartered accountants and business advisory firm Price Bailey welcomed political strategist and best-selling author Alastair Campbell for an exclusive evening of discussion and debate at the prestigious ICAEW building in London.
The evening was hosted by Price Bailey Partner and Strategic Corporate Finance expert, Chand Chudasama, who highlighted a striking statistic: only seven members of the current UK Government have direct business experience. Chudasama argued that it would remain challenging for Labour to understand business needs, given so few have put their own capital at risk to build their own businesses.
Revisiting Labour's campaign manifesto, Chudasama and Campbell discussed the proposal to attract private investment to drive public sector development. Campbell, while in support, also highlighted the Government's ability to modernise fiscal rules. Following the event, Chudasama echoed this, adding: 'Modernising the fiscal rules would enable the bond market to support government borrowing and allow the government to invest in TRL level nine or higher assets – this would be good debt, and the returns could benefit the entire economy.'
The evening featured a Q&A session, with audience questions ranging from British attitudes toward U.S. politics, to youth perspectives on national identity, and MPs' understanding of welfare issues affecting local communities and not for profit organisations.
Reflecting on the event, Martin Clapson, Managing Director at Price Bailey, said: 'It was a pleasure to host Alastair Campbell and engage in such a thought-provoking discussion. The insights shared, particularly from our younger attendees, shed light on the concerns facing the next generation of business leaders and underscored the importance of intergenerational dialogue in shaping the future of British business.'
Chand Chudasama, Partner at Price Bailey, added: 'It was a fantastic evening and a rare opportunity to challenge and explore the political landscape with someone of Alastair's calibre. We tackled some of the most pressing issues facing UK businesses today, and it was encouraging to see such open and constructive dialogue.'
Price Bailey's report, Bridging the Divide, is available to download from the Price Bailey website, here.
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2731806/BenLis_PB_Alistair_Campbell_Event.jpgLogo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2600260/5416246/Price_Bailey_Logo.jpg
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/alastair-campbell-headlines-successful-event-with-accountancy-firm-price-bailey-302507030.html
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

UK made ‘Armageddon scenario' plan for mass Hong Kong exodus in handover run-up
UK made ‘Armageddon scenario' plan for mass Hong Kong exodus in handover run-up

The Star

time8 hours ago

  • The Star

UK made ‘Armageddon scenario' plan for mass Hong Kong exodus in handover run-up

The UK government prepared a secret contingency plan dubbed 'the Armageddon scenario' in the lead-up to the 1997 handover for the evacuation of millions of Hong Kong residents who might have wanted to flee the city, according to newly unsealed documents. The British national archive documents date back to 1989 in the period immediately preceding and following the Tiananmen Square crackdown. A number of scenarios and recommendations for UK authorities were outlined in the event Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule triggered an exodus of people from the city. The documents, which were made public on Tuesday UK time, stated that the United Kingdom could 'not handle a mass evacuation alone' and that other countries would need to help, highlighting the United States as 'particularly important'. Repeated references were made to the 'Official Group on Contingency Planning for Hong Kong', which was said to have been formed following then prime minister Margaret Thatcher's meeting with the governor of Hong Kong on June 8, 1989. The governor at the time was David Wilson. The internal communications, labelled 'secret', categorised the plan into three scenarios – green, amber and red. When the most serious red phase was reached, indicating a mass exodus was under way, the British government would launch an evacuation, reception and resettlement plan, according to the file. In the contingency plan dated November in the released files, air and ship operators should be instructed to deploy earmarked aircraft and ships covered by dormant contracts immediately to Hong Kong in the red phase. Planes were expected to reach Hong Kong within 24 to 48 hours, while cruise ships were likely to have taken at least a week. The plan noted that the basic cost of moving 1 million people by sea to Taiwan would be around £165 million on the most favourable set of assumptions, while that of flying them to the island would have reached about £170 million. It set out that civilian evacuation would require the use of cruise ships and 143 of the vessels were available from 21 different countries. Costs were estimated to reach £200,000 per ship every day. The plan noted that efforts would need to be stepped up to get Southeast Asian governments to offer 'immediate, practical help', such as public appeals targeted at ethnic Chinese communities. It added that military deployments 'might be necessary', including using aircraft and vessels to assist in evacuation, as well as the deployment of land, air and sea assets to 'deter or counter Chinese military action'. But the plan noted that the capacity of military assistance in transporting a large number of people was 'small' compared with the size of the potential exodus and the capacity of the civil sector. The document said the British Royal Air Force had a readily available maximum single lift capacity of about 5,000 people. The team also drew up resettlement plans, in which the cost of reception centres would be about £5 million per 1,000 people and £5 billion per million based on past experience. The figures assumed each refugee would stay in a reception centre for six months, where basic needs would be met with some minimal English language training. The team said accommodation capacity would 'pose severe problems' in the event of an influx of arrivals. It estimated that only 400,000 properties would be available in the UK for resettlement in the short term, of which 300,000 would have to be requisitioned from the private sector. The internal documents outlined four scenarios that could trigger such an exodus, including two before and two after the 1997 handover. The report outlined one potential situation in which there would be a 'steady ebbing away of confidence' among people in Hong Kong before the handover, leading to an outflow of capital and talent from the city. Another pre-handover scenario referenced a 'panic provoked by further developments in China', such as the use of military force against Chinese civilians. It said Hong Kong people would be more sensitive than before to such developments. The post-handover scenarios were predicted to play out largely similarly – one based on people losing confidence in whether the Sino-British Joint Declaration was working, and a second that outlined a 'greater' risk of Beijing directly interfering in the city's affairs after 1997. The declaration is an agreement signed by Britain and China in 1984 to settle the future of Hong Kong. The two governments agreed China would reassume control of Hong Kong from July 1, 1997. One document, signed off by a DG Manning in August, included an attachment to a report commissioned by the South China Morning Post in 1989 outlining 'best case scenarios' on the impact of 3 million arrivals in the UK from Hong Kong. The report was produced by experts from well-known UK universities, who found that the economic costs were not 'dramatic', even in the extreme case of 3.2 million immigrants. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

5th China New E-commerce Conference Opens in Yanbian, Jilin Province
5th China New E-commerce Conference Opens in Yanbian, Jilin Province

Malaysian Reserve

time13 hours ago

  • Malaysian Reserve

5th China New E-commerce Conference Opens in Yanbian, Jilin Province

YANJI, China, July 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — This is a news release from The 5th China New E-commerce Conference opened today in Yanbian, Jilin Province, aiming to deepen public-private dialogue and drive the continued evolution of the country's digital commerce sector. The event is hosted by the China Federation of Internet Societies and co-organized by the China International Electronic Commerce Center, the Publicity Department of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee, the Cyberspace Administration of Jilin Province, the Jilin Provincial Department of Commerce, and the People's Government of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, with additional support from the China Chamber of International Commerce. Positioned as a high-level platform for engagement between government regulators and industry leaders, the conference reflects the growing role of emerging e-commerce platforms in shaping digital innovation and corporate social responsibility. It also highlights efforts to promote regional alignment, resource integration, and sustainable digital economic growth. Held under the theme 'A New Era of Digital intelligence, A New Value for E-commerce,' the program features an opening ceremony, main forum, sub-forums, specialized breakout sessions, and a series of satellite events. Among the highlights were policy briefings and keynote addresses from senior government officials and industry executives, the release of the China New E-commerce Development Report (2025), and the presentation of new case studies documenting innovation across the e-commerce sector. Organizers also introduced the fourth cohort of top-performing livestream hosts as part of the ongoing Talent Development Program and formally launched the Empowering Premium Hosts Initiative. The event additionally marked the rollout of two new initiatives: the Integrated Cross-border Exhibition and Sales Project and the High-quality Development Campaign for New E-commerce. Four thematic sub-forums focused on technological innovation, integrated development, cross-border e-commerce, and sustainability and corporate responsibility. Two featured events—the industry chain matchmaking and exhibition showcase, and a dedicated session on the ginseng industry—offered insight into key regional and vertical strengths. In parallel, a slate of related activities was held, including the High-quality Development Campaign for New E-commerce, the national finals of the China E-commerce Host Competition—which emphasized revitalization efforts in China's border regions through health and wellness—and continued programming under the Empowering Premium Hosts Initiative. Collectively, these efforts aim to translate the conference's agenda into practical outcomes and unlock further growth across the broader e-commerce ecosystem.

100 Days to 8th CIIE: Preps Harden as Global Exhibitors Eye Business Potential in China
100 Days to 8th CIIE: Preps Harden as Global Exhibitors Eye Business Potential in China

Malaysian Reserve

time15 hours ago

  • Malaysian Reserve

100 Days to 8th CIIE: Preps Harden as Global Exhibitors Eye Business Potential in China

SHANGHAI, July 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Facing the complex international landscape and mounting challenges, China International Import Expo (CIIE) consistently acts as a platform for global business exchange. With only 100 days to go, the 8th CIIE is set to take place in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. As of now, over 50 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in the Country Pavilion. Sweden and the United Arab Emirates will serve as guest countries of honor at the 8th CIIE, while Kyrgyzstan will make its debut. To help global enterprises across sectors better integrate into the Chinese market, the Corporate Pavilion features six major exhibition areas—encompassing Medical Equipment and Healthcare Products, Automobile and Smart Mobility, Intelligent Industry & Information Technology, Consumer Goods, Food and Agriculture Products, and Trade in Services—and will continue hosting its Innovation Incubation Special Section. Driven by strong interest and participation from overseas companies, total booked exhibition space has surpassed 330,000 square meters, with 170 companies and 26 institutions becoming eight-time full-attendance exhibitors. Notably, this year's Corporate Pavilion introduces four fresh innovations, demonstrating its vibrant energy and vast collaboration opportunities for participants. A special section for the least-developed countries products will launch alongside an upgraded Africa products section, helping 53 diplomatic African partners leverage zero-tariff treatment to enter the Chinese market. A new section for overseas provinces and cities stands as another highlight. Focused on global premieres, a dedicated trail for exploring debuts and a section amplifying exhibitors' presence are introduced. A cross-border e-commerce platform will be established for specialized promotion, matching, and livestreaming. The 8th Hongqiao International Economic Forum (HQF) will convene under the theme 'Opening-up for New Opportunities, Cooperation for a Shared Future'. Alongside the release of the World Openness Report 2025 and the latest World Openness Index, the HQF will host over 20 parallel sessions on revitalizing multilateral cooperation, empowering digital intelligence, green and sustainable development, and a more open China. Side events will retain previous categories, while people-to-people exchange activities will add a new 'Charming Friends of City' zone, inviting international friendly provinces and cities to set up their booths. Stay tuned for the 8th CIIE – secure your spot now! Sign up as an exhibitor: Sign up as a professional visitor: Contact: Ms. Cui Yan Tel.: 0086-21-968888 Email: exhibition@ Photo – View original content:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store