Last week saw the end of party conference season for another year. This was a particularly big year for everyone, and not least for Macmillan. This is the last party conference before the general election in May next year. It’s where the parties formulate and, in some cases, decide on their manifesto pledeges.
If manifestos do not include pledges that will help support cancer patients and their loved ones it is going to be far harder to ensure they do these things before 2020. In an election so hard to call, and where any of the 3 main parties could end up in Government in only a few months time, our campaigning in Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow was extra important this year.
This was an important conference season for me personally too. This was my first chance to attend a conference and campaign at the heart of the political hurly burly. I was able to share some of my own experiences of having cancer with Labour politicians in Manchester and really felt like I was right at the centre of the action!
The current Health Minister responsible for Cancer Services, Jane Ellison met with us at the Conservative Party Conference.
Meeting with decision-makers
We met with Ministers at the Conservative and Liberal Democrat conferences and Shadow Ministers at the Labour Conference. These were indispensible opportunities to convice these highest-level decision makers to raise their ambitions for cancer services in the UK over the coming election.
As well as meeting with existing MPs, we met some of the candidates hoping to gain a seat for the first time in 2015 – if we can make cancer a priority for future MPs before they’ve even made it to Westminster, pushing cancer to the top of the political agenda from day one of the next Parliament will be easier.
They may have heard of Macmillan or even seen Macmillan support in action with their loved ones. But they might not know how Members of Parliament can be champions for people affected by cancer in their constituency and on a national level.
Here’s our lovely Public Affairs Manager Ellie Rose meeting with Steve Bradley, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Bath
As the parties’ policy direction for the future is decided, the conferences see lots of private ‘roundtable’ discussions– these are frank group discussions between politicians and charities, industry representatives, thinktanks, who can speak with authority on an issue. It was vital Macmillan was at the table and a big voice for people affected by cancer, whether discussing the future of healthcare budgets, welfare or engaging people in public services through technology.
Achievements this year
There were some really big moments for the cancer community this year – Labour and Liberal Democrats pledged to introduce free social care for people at the very end of their lives to allow people to die at home if they wish. The Conservatives put compassionate care at the heart of their flagship health speech. We now need to ensure that this extremely positive start, is translated into clear and ambitious pledges in all three of these parties’ manifestos.
It was great to meet Labour MP Jim Cunningham and for him to show his support
If you are interested in getting involved in Macmillan’s General Election 2015 campaign please click here to find out more and sign our petition:
