Credit Crunch Debates to Bring Businesses Together

Conservative MEP Malcolm Harbour will address the European response to the credit crunch at the latest in a series of breakfast briefings hosted by the University of Birmingham’s Business School.

The series of debates, which are aimed a business leaders across the West Midlands. Each monthly event will tackle a different aspect of the ‘credit crunch’ to provide practical ideas and solutions for the West Midlands’ economy.

Each session will tackle key question like: are there alternatives to what is currently on offer, or is a pragmatic, piecemeal approach by individual companies the best way forward? More optimistically, can the West Midlands draw on present and past policies of other comparable regions and countries to deal with the unprecedented economic and financial challenges we now face?

The debates, which take place on the last Friday of the month are organised by the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre of the Birmingham Business School, the West Midlands Economic Forum and the West Midlands Business Council.

Professor Robert Cressy from the Birmingham Business School comments: “As economic conditions become more challenging, we need to ask what government policy options to reduce the effects on the West Midlands region are available?

Through these debates we want to bring together representatives from a wide range of industries to understand the problems and to look for solutions. The credit crunch may be a global problem, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look for solutions that work for the West Midlands.”

For further media information contact, Ben Hill, Press Officer, University of Birmingham, Tel 0121 414 5134, mob 07789 921163

Details of Planned Sessions

Friday, February 27th

1. Prof. Robert Cressy, Director, EIC

“Update on the crisis: Right and wrong UK policies”

2. Prof. Stanley Siebert

“The evolving UK labour market”

3. Malcolm Harbour, Conservative MEP:

“The European Context and the EU response”

Friday, March 27th

Andrew Mitchell, MP for Sutton Coldfield and Shadow Secretary of State for

International Development:

“There is an alternative”

Admission to the business breakfasts is free. To confirm your attendance or to find out more about the series of breakfast discussions please contact James Watkins, Executive Director, West Midlands Business Council, Tel: 0121 245 0138/077 6580 3582.

The location of the series is:

Birmingham Business School,

University House,

Edgbaston Park Road,

Birmingham

ENDS