Lunar Society Mailing

Annual Dinner

2010 Annual Dinner - Vince Cable MP

Vince CableThe Society held its 2010 Annual Dinner at the Birmingham Council House Banqueting Suite hosted by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Len Gregory. The Dinner took place on the 11th November 2010, and the after dinner speech was given by Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State for Business, Innovations and Skills.

The Rt Hon Vince Cable MP studied Natural Science and Economics at Cambridge University and received a PhD in Economics from Glasgow University. In March 2006 he became Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats and has always stood for "fairer taxes not higher taxes". Now in charge of one of the biggest budgets in Whitehall, he like other fellow cabinet members have had to make cuts to his budget to reduce public spending. He gave an impromptu speech drawing on his recent trip

The 2009 Annual Dinner took place on 12th November 2009 At Birmingham City Council House, hosted by the Lord Mayor. The after dinner speech was given by Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change who spoke on Climate Change and the forthcoming Copenhagen Summit. In his impromptu speech he spoke about the effects of Climate Change and reflected on anticipations for the Copenhagen talks due to take place in December 2009. Details of his speech given to Parliament on 9 November can be read here.

The 2008 Annual Dinner, hosted by the Lord Mayor was held on Tuesday, 18 November 2008. The speaker was Sir David Arculus who spoke on Lifting the burden of regulation - Who regulates the regulators? His speech can be read here, and the Birmingham Post review of it here. A press release issued before the event can be read here.

Trevor Phillips The 2007 Annual Dinner was held on 14 November 2007, when the speaker was Trevor Phillips OBE, Chairman of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights. His speech Knowledge, Difference and Inequality: The Potential for Combuston can be read <>.

David MilibandThe Right Hon David Miliband MP was our after dinner speaker in 2006. His speech One Planet Living: Towards a 3D Energy Revolution can be read <> or downloaded as a pdf from here. Members will recall that, in a departure from his prepared speech, the Minister pledged his Department's support for the Lunar Society's challenging target for the region to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Mervyn KingMervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England, was our speaker at the Society's Annual Dinner in 2005.