The Chancellor will deliver her second Autumn Budget on 26 November in one of the most consequential moments of Keir Starmer’s premiership to date. Rachel Reeves will reveal tax, borrowing and spending plans for the year ahead amid significant speculation that the Chancellor was giving consideration to break Labour’s manifesto commitments on tax rises and bow to pressure from backbench MPs to lift the two-child benefit cap.

Join us for our latest PLMR Insights roundtable event with Blake Stephenson MP, Conservative MP for Mid Bedfordshire and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Shadow Chancellor, Mel Stride. Stephenson will share his reflections on the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget, offering insights into the Government’s fiscal priorities, spending decisions, and economic outlook. There will be an opportunity for Q&A among delegates. In Parliament, Stephenson serves on the Environmental Audit Committee and the Public Accounts Committee – two of Westminster’s most influential select committees, central to ensuring transparency and value for money in the use of public funds. He also sits on several All-Party Parliamentary Groups, including those on Infrastructure, Pensions and Growth, and Manufacturing. In his role supporting the Shadow Treasury team, Stephenson plays a key part in scrutinising government policy on public spending, financial services, taxation, and economic growth. Stephenson brings a wealth of experience from his career as a barrister and senior professional in financial regulation and markets, working across senior roles in both the public and private sectors.

This event will provide an opportunity for informal networking alongside a light lunch, followed by a roundtable with Mayor Claire to discuss the future of inclusive growth, investment, and regeneration in the East Midlands. We look forward to welcoming an exciting guest list from the across the development, housing, planning, and public sectors.