Markets / TRADE & INDUSTRY / Feb.03

Eric Pickles is keynote speaker for BRC conference

MP to talk at the Retail Symposium in June

Eric Pickles MP has been named the political keynote speaker for the British Retail Consortium's (BRC) Retail Symposium later this year.

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government will talk about whether elected mayors can be retail champions; how to make the planning system more responsive to local and business needs; and how the Government plans to act on the Portas Review to support high streets.

The BRC Retail Symposium takes place on 26 June at Lancaster London near Paddington Station in the capital. Other speakers include Marks & Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland, John Lewis md Andy Street and Ian Cheshire, chief executive of B&Q parent company Kingfisher.