Political Economy Conference

About The Course

Building on the success of our 2025 Political Economy Conference, we are taking the conversation further – deepening our understanding of how the economy works, how political decisions shape our living standards, where power really lies, and what alternative economic strategies we can fight for.

This conference is open to trade unionists at every level who want to engage, debate, and take ideas back into their branches and unions. Together, we will reflect on where the UK trade union movement stands today – what we have achieved, the challenges we face, and the direction we need to take in both the short and long term.

Our speakers will bring together leading academics and experienced trade unionists, creating a space for grounded, practical discussion that connects theory with organising.

Throughout the conference, we will explore key questions, including:

• What would the economy look like if it were rebuilt in the interests of working people, not capital?
• What is political economy – and why does it matter for trade unions?
• The post-Brexit UK economy: austerity, privatisation, and stagnation
• The global picture: wars, global supply chains, and inflation
• How do we bring political economy into our day-to-day organising and campaigns?

We begin by imagining what a worker-centred economy could look like – challenging the assumptions of the current system and opening up space for alternatives. From there, we build a shared understanding of political economy and why it is essential to trade union strategy.

The programme then moves from theory to practice, examining both the UK and global economic context through interactive sessions and group work. We will finish by developing concrete plans to take these ideas forward – embedding political economy into organising, campaigning, and strategy at branch and union level.

This is not just about understanding the world as it is – but about equipping ourselves to change it.

Included is accomodation for the night of 19 February 2027, food, and course materials.