It's the economy, stupid!

Please note this is a paid event and you can purchase tickets on the Festival of Politics website. Tickets cost £6 for full price or £4 for a concession. Please purchase your tickets here. 

As Scotland emerges from the COVID pandemic, new ideas of how our economy should work are taking hold: inclusive growth, social enterprise and a circular economy, among them. These ideas all point to a different economic model, but what do they mean in practice? Are the right people and organisations involved? And can local communities be inspired and motivated to take part?

Emma Congreve is a Senior Knowledge Exchange Fellow and Deputy Director at the Fraser of Allander Institute. Emma's work at the Institute is focussed on policy analysis, covering a wide range of areas of social and economic policy.  Emma is an experienced economist and has previously held roles as a senior economist at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and as an economic adviser within the Scottish Government.

Douglas Westwater is chair of Social Enterprise Scotland. Douglas is an expert in project development and financing and has worked in Scotland’s third sector for 25 years. The development of capital projects in relation to local regeneration is a particular area of his expertise. Douglas Westwater has run Community Enterprise for 16 years and has always combined his role as chief officer with a portfolio of projects which ensures he is up to date with grass roots issues while being able to contribute a strategic perspective where required.

Jimmy Paul is Director at the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland, which exists to reprogram Scotland's economy so that it puts people and planet first. Jimmy has worked in leadership roles across health & social care for over ten years, including being a co-chair at the world-leading Independent Care Review.  He is an experienced charity trustee and has also represented Scotland internationally on leadership programmes with the World Economic Forum and the British Council.