Meetings Industry Association reacts to new UK leadership

The UK’s meetings and business events sector has begun to set out its expectations of the new government, following the appointment of Andy Burnham as Prime Minister. The Meetings Industry Association (MIA), which represents venues, suppliers and agencies across the country, has issued an initial response signalling a willingness to work with the new administration on growth, skills and international competitiveness.

While the detailed government agenda for business events has yet to emerge, the association is using the change in leadership to reiterate the sector’s economic contribution and the need for clear policy support. It has also highlighted the opportunity for the industry to participate in wider national priorities around regional development, inward investment and trade.

Background and industry context

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The MIA is one of the UK’s primary membership bodies for the meetings and events ecosystem, representing venues, destination organisations, event agencies and service providers. The association has long argued that the business events sector functions as both an economic driver and a catalyst for knowledge exchange, supporting jobs across hospitality, transport, creative services and technology.

In recent years, UK event operators have navigated multiple disruptions, including Brexit-related market shifts, the COVID-19 pandemic, and cost-of-living challenges affecting both organisers and delegates. Against this backdrop, industry bodies have consistently called for greater recognition of business events within government policy frameworks, including tourism, trade promotion, skills, sustainability and infrastructure planning.

The arrival of a new Prime Minister is therefore viewed within the sector as a key moment to re-engage with policymakers and restate the strategic value of meetings and events to the wider economy, particularly in terms of attracting international visitors and high-value business investment.

Key developments and association response

Responding to Andy Burnham’s appointment, the MIA has framed the political transition as a significant juncture for both the country and the events community. The association’s leadership has drawn attention to the themes in the Prime Minister’s first speech, including references to renewal, shared opportunity and restoring trust in public life, interpreting these as areas where the meetings industry can make a meaningful contribution.

In its reaction, the MIA has underlined several broad priorities it believes should inform future engagement between government and the sector:

Recognition of business events as economic infrastructure: Positioning conferences, exhibitions and meetings as central to regional growth strategies and international trade promotion.
Supportive policy environment: Ensuring that regulation, taxation, visa policy and transport planning reflect the needs of event organisers, venues and delegates.
Skills and workforce development: Addressing talent shortages and promoting careers in events, hospitality and associated technology fields.
Sustainable growth: Aligning the sector’s decarbonisation efforts and ESG priorities with national climate and sustainability goals.

The association has indicated it intends to seek constructive dialogue with the new administration to develop a clearer framework for how business events can support the government’s economic and social objectives. While specific policy proposals have not yet been publicly detailed, the tone of the response suggests an emphasis on partnership rather than confrontation.

Potential impact on the events and meetings sector

Changes in national leadership often prompt a reassessment of public spending, industrial strategy and regulatory focus. For the events industry, this can influence everything from support for destination marketing and trade missions, to investment in transport and digital infrastructure that underpins conferences and exhibitions.

The MIA’s early engagement signals that the sector is looking for:

Policy continuity where needed: Stability around existing support mechanisms that benefit business events, such as tourism promotion and international bidding for major congresses.
New opportunities in industrial strategy: Integration of events into sector-specific growth plans, for example by using conferences and trade shows to showcase UK innovation in technology, life sciences, manufacturing and creative industries.
Joined-up government engagement: Better coordination between departments responsible for business, culture, transport, immigration and education, all of which impact event delivery.

For event technology providers, any future emphasis on digital transformation, hybrid participation and accessibility could create additional demand for platforms and tools that support more inclusive and sustainable formats. At the same time, policy shifts around data protection, AI regulation and cross-border data flows may shape how tech vendors design and deploy their solutions.

Why this matters for event professionals and technology providers

For venue operators, organisers and suppliers, the stance adopted by the MIA is an indicator of how the industry intends to position itself in policy discussions over the coming years. A focus on partnership with government could help unlock support for:

Investment in modern, digitally enabled venue infrastructure.
Incentives or frameworks that encourage low-carbon event design and operations.
Skills programmes that address gaps in event management, production and event technology expertise.

Event technology companies in particular may find that a stronger policy emphasis on innovation, productivity and regional regeneration opens doors to collaboration with both public and private stakeholders. Tools that enable data-driven attendee engagement, hybrid formats, accessibility and measurement of economic impact could become more central to how government and destinations evaluate the success of their event strategies.

At the same time, professionals across the sector will need to monitor how any new legislation or strategy documents reference business events. Engagement through trade bodies, consultation responses and industry working groups will be critical to ensure that the specific needs of meetings, conferences and exhibitions are understood and reflected in decision-making.

Conclusion

The appointment of Andy Burnham as UK Prime Minister has prompted the Meetings Industry Association to restate the importance of the meetings and business events sector to the national economy and to signal its readiness to collaborate with the new government. While concrete policies for the industry have yet to be defined, the association’s response points to a desire for recognition, stability and long-term partnership.

For event professionals and technology providers, this change in political leadership represents both uncertainty and opportunity. The extent to which the sector can shape future policy will depend on sustained, evidence-based engagement with policymakers and a clear articulation of how business events support economic growth, innovation and international connectivity.