Our 2026 party conference programme drew to a close in Birmingham last night, rounding off a busy season that has seen BusinessLDN engaging with all five major political parties to keep London’s priorities firmly on the agenda.
For our final reception, business and political leaders came together at Conservative Party Conference to discuss what the capital needs to unlock growth – from greater devolution and faster infrastructure delivery to creating the confidence businesses need to invest.
With the Birmingham skyline as our backdrop, our flagship London Reception was kindly hosted by Arcadis. Our Chief Executive John Dickie was joined by Peter Hogg, UK & Ireland Country Director at Arcadis; Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea; and James Cleverly MP, former Home and Foreign Secretary, seeking the Conservative nomination for Mayor of London.
One theme cut across the evening: London has huge potential, but we need to get the conditions for growth right.
John Dickie focused on the opportunity presented by further devolution. Giving London greater control over the money it raises, alongside more freedom to invest and borrow for infrastructure, could help the capital take greater responsibility for its own growth.
He argued that powers alone aren’t enough, Britain also needs to get much better at turning plans into projects. From the decades-long debate over Heathrow expansion to schemes such as the Bakerloo line extension and West London Orbital, faster delivery could unlock new homes, jobs and better connections across the capital.
Peter Hogg picked up the challenge from a business perspective. After a conference season where politicians from across the political spectrum have been keen to stress their pro-business credentials, his message was simple: warm words need to translate into confidence.
Businesses are ready to invest, but committing capital for the long term requires clarity, stability and direction. Drawing on Churchill’s description of business as the “sturdy horse that pulls the whole cart”, Peter argued that business is ready to play its part, if the conditions are right.
Cllr Elizabeth Campbell made the case for putting boroughs at the heart of growth. London’s boroughs know their high streets, development sites and local businesses and make many of the decisions that turn investment into homes, offices and thriving places. Genuine devolution, she argued, means giving them the tools and resources to deliver.
James Cleverly turned to London’s global competitiveness, arguing that the capital’s real competition for talent, investment and visitors comes not from Birmingham or Manchester, but from cities such as Paris, New York, Milan and Dubai.
He framed the challenge around whether Londoners feel safe, can afford to build a life here and feel proud of their city – arguing that London needs a “champion, not just an administrator”.
Across the evening, a clear question emerged: how do we create the conditions for London to grow – attracting investment, delivering the homes and infrastructure it needs, and remaining a place where people want to live and businesses want to invest?
We look forward to continuing that conversation over the next few days in Birmingham and back in London.
Thank you to Arcadis for hosting us, and to our speakers, members and guests for joining us.