Ian is a columnist for the i newspaper, host of the Origin Story podcast, and the former editor of Politics.co.uk.

He has published three books: How Westminster Works….and Why It Doesn’t (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2023), How To Be A Liberal (Canbury, 2020) and Brexit:What The Hell Happens Now (Canbury, 2016). A contributor to the Guardian and the Washington Post, he is also a regular pundit on TV and radio shows, including Any Questions, Newsnight, and Sky’s Newspaper Review.

‍Keynote topics include :

‘F*** business’: What happened to business’ relation with politics and how can it be repaired?

The business lobby was once courted by both main parties, but now they find themselves despised by Labour and dismissed by theConservatives. What led to the breakdown and how can it be fixed?

How Westminster works…and Why it Doesn’t

Our political and financial system is cloaked in secrecy, archaic terminology, ancient custom, impenetrable technical jargon and deliberate obfuscation. The reality is that despite all the coverage, hardly anyone understands how Westminster actually works.

Where do we go next: Disturbance in the media and fake news.

Mainstream politicians routinely discredit the media, and fake news is making global events largely unpredictable. How have changes in behaviour and technology influenced this, and where will it go next?

Is there a limit to the global spread of populism?

Populists are defeating established parties and threatening to overturn established institutions. What defines and motivates the populist assault, and which political systems have succeeded in resisting them?