A seminar open to all, exploring the political philosophy, theology and biography of Raymond Plant (Lord Plant of Highfield).

Speakers:

Matt Beech is Reader in Politics and Director of the Centre for British Politics (@CBPhull). He is a political scientist and historian who teaches post-war British political history, government and the culture wars. Dr Beech is Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Institute of European Studies and Associate Member of the Centre de Recherches en Civilisation Britannique at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University. He has held visiting appointments at Oxford, Berkeley and Flinders and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. His most recent volumes are: The Idea of the Good Society: Essays in Honour of Raymond Plant (OUP, 2025) and The Elgar Companion to Margaret Thatcher (Edward Elgar, 2025).

Kevin Hickson is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for British Politics at the University of Hull and was for many years Senior Lecturer in British Politics at the University of Liverpool before taking early retirement this year.  He has published over 20 books on British politics and political ideologies and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

About the Volume:

This volume provides a comprehensive analysis of the political thought and practice of Raymond Plant (Professor Lord Plant of Highfield) and celebrates the three aspects of his public life which speak to his idea of the good society: scholarship, politics, and civil society.

Firstly, Plant’s scholarship was remarkable in its breadth including philosophy, social work, political studies, social policy, theology, and jurisprudence. In particular, Plant’s work on Hegel, the New Liberals, social democracy, Hayek, and Rawls has had significant impact. Secondly, Plant’s long association with the Labour Party which began in Grimsby in his youth through his friendship with the local MP Tony Crosland. He later chaired the Party’s commission into electoral reform, took a seat on the Labour benches in the House of Lords, and chaired the Fabian Society commission into taxation and citizenship. Thirdly, his work with civil society including time as President of the NCVO, as chair of Centrepoint, as a member of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, and appointment as a lay canon of Winchester Cathedral.

This collection brings together distinguished scholars and contemporaries on all of the main aspects of Plant’s thought and practical work and honours the remarkable scope and influence of his life.

This event is open to all and free to attend, but spaces are limited so please register via TicketSource here.