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Gifts from The Morning Star
The Progress fringe programme backed by Tory businessmen
by SOLOMON HUGHES
Emoov founder and Tory councillor Russell Quirk, who Progress invited to speak at one of its fringe events, poses by a pile of bricks beside a house for some reason

PROGRESS, the New Labour faction inside the party, organised not one but two fringe meetings sponsored by Tory-run companies at this year’s conference in Liverpool. 

Progress’s desire to have expensive catered events in a smart, central hall at the conference means it relies heavily on “sponsors” to fund its meetings. 

Six of its nine fringe meetings had some kind of corporate sponsorship. It seems Progress doesn’t mind if these sponsors are run by Conservative activists.

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