The Blue Highway Beacon: Vol. I, NO.6

There’s been an unusual seven-week gap between Beacon dispatches, thanks, as we expected might be the case, to a crush of growth-related activity after Labor Day in the US. We’re accelerating forward in many respects: BHA is steadily broadening its client roster; we’re expanding our capabilities and range of practices (with a particularly significant announcement about a new addition coming soon); and we’re working up innovative new marketing strategies and site revisions, with many more in-process projects coming into focus. 

Thus, we’ve got a little bit of catch-up work to do in reporting our activities, and here, James Matthewson discusses the rapid growth of our political outreach operation in the United Kingdom, which he is leading with grace, humor, unmatched affability, and, dare I say, his own brand of connectivity, which is a wonder to behold. (I’ve seen it for myself in the halls of Westminster). 

With deep thanks to James for his recent labors at this year’s Labour Party Conference:

– Ian Christopher McCaleb, Founder / Principal, Blue Highway Advisory, Oct. 8, 2024

Dispatches from Labour Party Conference by James Matthewson

Between the 22nd and 25th of September this year, the UK’s Labour Party, newly elevated to the lofty heights of Government, went on tour.

The months of September and October are usually dominated in British politics by the ‘Party Conference’ season. This is the time of year when each of the main political parties gathers its membership, its elected officials, its grassroots activists and its revered grandees somewhere in England to set forth their policy direction, deal with their internal disputes and, usually, drink a lot.

And, when it comes to conference capacity, there are only a handful of cities in England that lend themselves to hosting large-scale gatherings such as these. For Labour, there has long been a tie between Brighton on the south coast and Liverpool in the Northwest. The Labour Party fluctuates between these two cities each year, perhaps in the hope of balancing out that infamous north-south divide. 

So, whilst the Conservative Party, once one of the most feared political machines in the Western world, was licking its wounds and hosting a scaled-down conference of opposition in Birmingham, Labour reveled in all of the limelight as it showed off its shiny new credentials to the people of Liverpool. A record number of people, but also businesses, charities and all manner of organisations gathered at the ACC Liverpool late last month, and, with most of the city’s iconic dockside closed off for conference pass holders, one such figure in attendance this year was yours truly.

The Labour Conference location was of dual significance for Blue Highway Advisory, and indeed anyone else working in the music industry. The Royal Albert Docks in Liverpool boast a range of sights and sounds, but none more iconic than those related to The Beatles. The only faces more visible than Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s were those of Paul McCartney and John Lennon, though sadly, George and Ringo escaped the fate of being turned into Lego statues in the many visitor stores and museum gift shops. 

The Labour Party’s trade unionist history and heritage was also on display, albeit separate from the official conference space. with rallies taking place outside in the rain in hope of bringing awareness on issues ranging from public sector pay to the war in Gaza. The message to the Labour Party’s leadership from the various union leaders was crystal clear: “We made you, we can unmake you.” But no one inside the conference seemed to be paying much attention. 

I split my time at the conference between hosting Blue Highway clients interested in specific areas of policy, and fulfilling my duties as a political commentator with the different news media outlets in attendance. The opportunity to connect our clients with UK Government ministers and a range of politicians allowed us to begin the delivery of messaging that will ultimately influence the shape of several debates to come.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t all glamorous receptions with refreshments this year, as the impact of hundreds of thousands of people camped in one location meant certain areas were completely gridlocked. At one stage, I found myself crouched in the corner of an arena, its seats empty, but the floor filled with futuristic (almost sci-fi-like) pods, which were being used to host the various ‘fringe’ events taking place throughout the conference. Each was its own soundproofed meeting space, holding at least a hundred people. 

Finding a space quiet enough to conduct a BBC live broadcast interview was not something that was usually a challenge at Labour Party conferences past. You could really tell, wherever you went, just how many people were in attendance this year. As I struggled to hear the BBC host asking me questions about the conference atmosphere, it struck me that the overall energy of this, now the biggest party-political conference in Europe, was far more corporate than political. This was a criticism levelled at the party by many of its members and internal organisations. However, to the businesses hoping to engage this fledgling government, it provided a comfortable and familiar environment that many seemed grateful for. 

It's too early to tell what this means, if anything, for the long-term operation of Labour Party events. However, it does mean that clients of Blue Highway were the beneficiaries of not only insider-knowledge of the often-obscure party-conference traditions, but also the positive environment for engagement and collaboration. 

And with Blue Highway being only two years old at this point, it’s a certainty that we’ll be back in bigger force at the Labour Party’s next conference in Brighton, 2025 – as well as the years following. So, it seems appropriate to start extending invitations now – to our current client roster, and anyone else who would like to start discussions on how to converse with the new government. After all, only about 250,000 people attended conference this year. Beat the rush, which has already started, and let us be your hosts and your guides. 

We very much look forward to hearing from everyone!