The Orwell Memorial Lecture 2022: Lisa Nandy

Lisa Nandy MP delivers the Orwell Memorial Lecture 2022 on the topic 'Wigan, the World and Everywhere in Between - How We Build a Country That Works'. Lisa Nandy was first elected as the Labour MP for Wigan in 2010. During her time in Parlia-ment, Lisa has served on the front bench in a number of roles, including Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Shadow Children’s Minister and Shadow Minister for Civil Society. Lisa is also the co-founder of the think tank Centre for Towns which was set up to ensure priority is given to the viability and prosperity of Britain’s towns. Before entering Parliament, Lisa worked for the youth home-lessness charity Centrepoint and The Children’s Society.

The Orwell Memorial Lecture, given in memory of the author, essayist and journalist George Orwell, has been given annually since 1989 and has attracted notable speakers including Dr Tristram Hunt, Daniel Finkelstein, Kamila Sham-sie, Dr Rowan Williams, Dame Hilary Mantel, Robin Cook and Ruth Davidson MSP. Speakers are tasked with discussing any topic 'Orwell might have been interested in'. Originally held at the University of London, Birkbeck and the University of Sheffield, the Orwell Memorial Lecture usually takes place each year at Univer-sity College London, home of the UNESCO-reg-istered Orwell Archive, the most comprehen-sive body of research material relating to the author's life anywhere. The Orwell Foundation is based at UCL's Institute of Advanced Studies. The lecture is generously sponsored and sup-ported by Orwell's son, Richard Blair.