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Beyond the Locals

14 May 2026
9:00am
24a St John Street, EC1M 4AY London
Read: 12 min

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Event Thumbnail Beyond the Locals

From local election results to the King’s Speech, the UK’s political landscape is shifting rapidly in an increasingly fragmented, multi-party environment.

Joining us for this timely breakfast panel is Kitty Donaldson, Chief Political Commentator at The i Paper, alongside James Crouch, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Opinium and Lansons’ Ben Stetson

Hosted just days after the local and devolved elections and immediately following the King’s Speech, the discussion will combine expert political analysis with exclusive new polling from Opinium, cutting through the headlines to explore what’s really changing, and what it means for organisations navigating policy, regulation and reputation.

  • What the 2026 local and devolved election results reveal about the UK political landscape
  • How the King’s Speech is likely to shape the legislative and regulatory agenda
  • What a more fragmented, multi-party environment means for organisations and public affairs strategies

This in-person event is hosted in partnership with Opinium, chaired by Lansons' Head of Public Affairs, Ben Stetson. 

Date 
Thursday 14 May 2026

Timings
08:30 – Arrival and breakfast
09:00 – Panel discussion and Q&A
10:00 – Networking
10:30 – Close

Location

Lansons Team Farner
24a St John Street
London EC1M 4AY

   

 

     

Meet the panel:

Kitty Donaldson is Chief Political Commentator at The i Paper and previously served as Political Editor at Bloomberg News. Reporting from Westminster since 2003, she has broken numerous major stories and is one of the most experienced commentators in the lobby, as well as one of its longest-serving female members.

Kitty Donaldson The i Paper
Kitty Donaldson
Chief Political Commentator, The i Paper

Ben is Head of Public Affairs at Lansons, leading political advisory and policy-led communications. He advises UK and international businesses on government relations, regulatory change and stakeholder engagement. His career began in Parliament and includes multiple General Election campaigns, bringing practical political insight to client strategy.

Ben Stetson Low Res
Ben Stetson
Head of Public Affairs, Lansons

James leads policy and public affairs at Opinium, overseeing the firm’s political polling. He specialises in translating public opinion into insight on elections, politics and policy. His experience spans four general elections, two national referendums, and a wide range of leadership and subnational contests.

James Crouch Opinium
James Crouch
Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Opinium

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