Join Humanists UK at party conferences

Humanists UK is gearing up for the party conference season, and during the next three weeks, will make appearances, or be featured at, the Liberal Democrats, Conservative Party, Green Party, the Labour Party conferences. This is your guide to engaging with Humanists UK, and the All-party Parliamentary Humanist Group over the next three weeks.

Delegates will find Humanists UK at the ‘Legally recognise humanist marriage!’ exhibition stands at the Labour conference, as well as at specially organised fringe events on freedom of religion or belief for both Labour and Conservative conferences. Representatives of Humanists UK will be speaking on panels at both the Green and Liberal Democrats party conferences.

Each conference gives attendees to the opportunity to discuss humanist issues and campaigns with the major parties. As a charity, Humanists UK is strictly not party-political: for us, these conferences are a chance to lobby MPs and speak to activists from every political tradition!

Here’s your guide to finding and engaging with Humanists UK at party conferences.

Liberal Democrats Party Conference, Bournemouth, 23–26 September 2023

Join the Humanist and Secularist Liberal Democrats (HSLD) in Bournemouth at their fringe on the case for assisted dying, Your Life, Your Death, chaired by Christine Jardine MP and featuring Humanists UK’s Chief Executive Andrew Copson. The event will also hear from Dr Henry Marsh, Humanists UK patron, retired Neurosurgeon and author; Graham Winyard from My Death, My Decision, and Baroness Brinton. The event is taking place from 13:00–14:00 in the Blandford Room, Marriott on Sunday 24 September.

You can also visit HSLD’s stand no. 33 in the exhibition centre, where our Chief Executive Andrew Copson will be helping out, to learn more about our key campaigns.

Conservative Party Conference, Manchester, 1-4 October 2023

Join Humanists UK and Conservative Humanists at our evening fringe event in Manchester on free speech. The event, entitled Right to offend? The battle against blasphemy laws at home and abroad, will feature Cllr Neil Garratt AM; Conservative Humanist’s Chair James Baird; Humanist UK’s Karen Wright; Prithu Sanyal, persecuted Bangladeshi activist; and Gulalai Ismail, humanist human rights activist, who fled from Pakistan after being arrested and spending a year in hiding upon return from 2018 Conservative Conference. The event is taking place from 20:00–21:00 in the Chester Suite, Midland Hotel on 3 October.

Green Party Conference, Brighton, 6–8 October 2023 

Join Green Humanists at its fringe on October 6. This meeting will hear from Humanist UK’s Nathan Stilwell, and consider the future of the group. The event is taking place in the Brighton Centre (room TBC) between 14:45–16:00.

Labour Party Conference, Liverpool, 8–11 October 2023

Join Humanists UK and Labour Humanists at its annual drinks reception on Monday 9 October. The reception will include high profile speakers including Sarah Owen MP, Shadow Faith and Belief Minister; Lord Dubs; Dame Angela Eagle MP; Jeff Smith MP; Rachel Hopkins MP; Tom Copley, London City Hall Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development; Polly Toynbee, The Guardian; chair of Labour Humanist’s Rachel Taggart-Ryan; and Andrew Copson, Humanists UK’s Chief Executive. The drink reception is taking place in Suite 1, the Leonardo Hotel from 19:00–20:00.

Also join us for Right to believe? How will Labour uphold Freedom of Religion or Belief? A joint fringe we are holding with Christians on the Left. Taking place on 10 October from 10:00-11:00 in Friends Meeting House, School Lane, L1 3BT, it will feature a panel chaired by Labour Humanist’s Chair Rachel Taggart-Ryan, including Humanists UK’s Andrew Copson; Christians on the Left’s Hannah Rich; Lord Collins, Labour’s FCDO spokesperson, Adam Langleben, Jewish Labour Movement; and Ali Milani, Muslim Labour Network.

You can also meet with Humanists UK staff and volunteers at the ‘Legally recognise humanist marriage’ exhibition stand 16a at the Labour Conference.

The party political humanist groups (Labour Humanists, Green Humanists, Conservative Humanists, or the Humanist and Secularist Liberal Democrats) are independent humanist groups within the political parties themselves. They bring non-religious people together in each of those respective parties to advocate for humanist issues and a more secular and rational approach to politics.