BREAKING: Andy Burnham at the Byline Festival - 4.30pm Sunday 13 July
The Mayor of Greater Manchester will conclude our themes of truth and democracy by talking about the Hillsborough Law and the 'duty of candour' for public servants
With just a week to go, the final preparations are in place to bring together a great many people who care about democracy and truth at Keele University for this year’s Byline Festival 11-13 July with a closing session with the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, who has for years campaigned for a law insisting that public servants have a duty of honesty to the public. A fitting conclusion to our festival celebrating the value of truth.
Read his recent speech in the print edition of Byline Times
A decade ago, defending truth and democracy would have seemed unnecessary, or at least the preserve of professional campaigners and brave dissidents from far-away brutal regimes.
Today, truth and democracy seem much more fragile. Oligarchs flout both, as well as the rule of law. Putin has invaded Ukraine and is threatening NATO, seemingly aided and abetted by an American President who appears to be anything but the leader of the free world. Trump’s determination to game the rule of law and the truth – not to mention trying to overturn democratic elections – is creating a world that is much less certain. Israel ruthlessly ignores western public opinion in its onslaught of Gaza and China is circling Taiwan.
Against this increasingly dangerous backdrop and the very real threat of far-right ascendency in Britain, Byline Festival will not pull any punches, but will bring people together to reinvigorate them for the perils ahead. The dangers are very real and local. Reform UK has a majority in local government in Staffordshire, where the Festival is taking place.
But Byline Festival refuses to be ground down by events. We will focus on new insights and solutions. Many of our festival partners, whether it be The Citizens, Compass, European Movement, or Hacked Off, are determined to play their part in defending democracy and truth.
Our talk programme includes many brave journalists who have been undercover, like James Bloodworth in the Manosphere and Kathleen Stewart among the American Christian far right; or have relentlessly investigated the far right like Nafeez Ahmed; or taken on the Tech Bros like Carole Cadwalladr; or stood up against Brexit like Alexandra Hall Hall, or called out fascism like Heidi Cuda. We also have brave MPs Naz Shah and Dawn Butler who live on the frontline of the information war and still excel as politicians.
There is light amongst the darkness at Byline Festival.
Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics Circus looks at economics in a way that respects the planet and humanity and shows the way forward. Kate will show how it is already being applied around the world. Jamie Kelsey Fry has brought together practitioners and experts in Citizen Assemblies which are changing the way we look at democracy in many countries. Mike Berners Lee, talking about his book, A Climate Of Truth, will be workshopping ways we can save the planet and Roman Krznaric will be helping us cope with the future by understanding the past in his book History for Tomorrow. We are even looking to further the understanding of AI with Robbie Stamp’s AI Goose Bumps Club which is an experiment in finding the limits of AI and humanity.
Add to this amazing comedy led by Mark Thomas and Rosie Holt, and a great music programme including Tim Arnold’s indie rock opera SuperconnectedTM, that takes on big tech and headlined by album-chart-topping Merseyside band, The Farm who supported the Hillsborough victims and led the protest against the Sun as well as creating such hit anthems as ‘All Together Now’ and ‘Groovy Train’.
You can also get in touch with your creative side by joining our workshops to create your own protest art or poem or draw a political cartoon with the legendary Guardian and Byline Times cartoonist, Martin Rowson.
And this is only the tip of more than100 sessions at the festival…
Or of course, you could stay at home, get in the cans and crisps, and watch the Wimbledon Finals like every year and totally ignore what is going on around you.
If you would rather defend democracy and truth than watch tennis, then Byline Festival is for you, and we would love you to join us next weekend at Keele University.
For campus accommodation, the full programme and last tickets click here
