Overview

This is our programme for Battle of Ideas North 2026, which took place on Saturday 7 March in Manchester. Details of future events will be available soon. To keep in touch, sign up to the Academy of Ideas Substack.

Saturday Strands

10:00-10:15 Saturday 7 March

Welcome address

Pendulum Suite, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester

10:15-11:45 Saturday 7 March

Iran, Greenland, Brexit Britain… does sovereignty still matter?

Pendulum Suite, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester

11:55-13:10 Saturday 7 March

Economic growth: will there be a Northern Renaissance?

Pendulum Suite, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester

Women and gender: Supreme Court ruling, one year on

Cotton Theatre, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester

13:25-14:10 Saturday 7 March

Build, build, build: How do we solve the housing crisis?

Pendulum Suite, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester

How can the arts embrace freedom of expression?

Cotton Theatre, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester

14:25-15:40 Saturday 7 March

Disaffected youth: are young people becoming more extreme?

Cotton Theatre, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester

Island of strangers: is Britain broken?

Pendulum Suite, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester

16:00-17:30 Saturday 7 March

Free-speech emergency: how can we fight back?

Pendulum Suite, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester

17:30-17:35 Saturday 7 March

Closing remarks

Pendulum Suite, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester