The Crunch is here but who flicked the switch? Can we blame the City for corrupting the sector or did the media send us running in panic straight off a cliff?
At 7.00pm on the 31 October The Dartington Hall Trust dares to host the hottest and most pressing debate of the day – bringing two of the UK’s leading financial gurus to the Great Hall – as we ask “The Credit Crunch – City Mess or Media Manoeuvring?”
Speaking for the financial sector will be Stephen Sklaroff, Director General of the Finance and Leasing Association. His opponent will be Sean O’Grady, Economics Editor of The Independent, who will be upholding the honour of business’ reporters around the world.
Sean O’Grady said, “The credit crunch is undoubtedly a financial reality and there’s no question that the ramifications are having an impact on us all. To be able to hold this type of public debate and address the problem head on is an opportunity that I am relishing. The conversation with Stephen should be an interesting one but I have no doubt that I can prove the City is to blame.”
The Credit Crunch debate is the first in an annual programme of head-to-head topical discussions that will be taking place at Dartington – a charity that aims to scrutinise and address some of the most pressing problems of our times. The inspirational setting and world famous reputation of the Dartington Hall Estate is already attracting some of the finest and most influential speakers in their fields to enter the public arena and become part of the Dartington history.
Stephen Sklaroff commented, “The media played its own part in the “age of irresponsibility”. Doom-laden commentary is eventually self-fulfilling. Businesses and consumers start to make decisions, not on the basis of a rational assessment of the real risks, but on the assumption that an apocalypse is just around the corner. Not only does this make real problems worse, it also makes sensible solutions harder to implement. I look forward to a lively debate!”
Vaughan Lindsay, CEO of The Dartington Hall Trust and chairman for the night comments, “The Dartington Debate seeks to ask the tough questions about our world, with the aim of stimulating useful discussions that could lead to real solutions. The credit crunch has impact across all our areas of work, in the arts, social justice and sustainability- therefore we think it is the ideal topic to launch these new regular events in the Dartington calendar.”
“The Credit Crunch – City Mess or Media Manoeuvring?” is open to the public and promises to attract audiences from all over the UK. Tickets are £5.00 and available from the Dartington box office on 01803 847070.
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The Dartington Hall Trust is a registered charity no. 279756. Company no. 1485560. Registered Office: The Elmhirst Centre, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6EL United Kingdom. Telephone 01803 847000; Fax 01803 847007;