Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer will be keynote speaker at Yorkshire Fastest 50 awards

Sir Keir Starmer, the Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, will outline his vision for the post-Brexit world when he meets Yorkshire business leaders at a major corporate event later this year.
Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer     Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA WireShadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer     Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire
Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

He will be the guest speaker at the Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 Awards 2018, which celebrate the fast growing firms that make Yorkshire the best place in Britain to run a business.

Sir Keir, a human rights barrister, who is the Labour Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras, will deliver the keynote speech at this year’s event, which is organised by the law firm Ward Hadaway and supported by The Yorkshire Post.

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Sir Keir was previously Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). He studied law at the University of Leeds and graduated with a first class degree in 1985,

As well as speaking at guest lectures on Britain after Brexit at Leeds Beckett University, Sir Keir officially opened the Liberty Building, which is the home of the School of Law at the University of Leeds. He is currently a member of the Leeds University Law School Advisory Board.

Sir Keir will talk about the challenges of Brexit when he meets business leaders and representatives of Yorkshire’s fastest growing companies at the invitation-only Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 Awards 2018 which will be held at Aspire in Leeds on Friday, March 16.

The awards highlight and celebrate the privately-owned, profit-making businesses in Yorkshire which have grown their turnover by the largest amounts in recent years.

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Speaking about his forthcoming appearance, Sir Keir said: “I’m delighted to have been invited to give the keynote speech at the Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 Awards for 2018, which celebrate the success of businesses across the region.

”Leeds is a place that is close to my heart and I’m proud to say that I attended university in this vibrant city.

“I travel across Yorkshire regularly and I am well aware of the pressures facing the region. However, its businesses have seen some considerable achievements over the years to help Yorkshire become even stronger as a place to live and work.”

“The Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 is an excellent way to highlight and celebrate the businesses which are flying the flag for Yorkshire by creating jobs, boosting prosperity and attracting investment into the region.

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“I am really looking forward to attending the awards and finding out which companies are leading lights when it comes to their expansion plans.”

Jamie Martin, the managing partner of Ward Hadaway, said: “We are thrilled that Keir has accepted our invitation to be a guest speaker at the Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 Awards for 2018.

“Few people in the country can have such a clear perspective of the opaque Brexit process, so our awards celebrations will offer business owners a unique opportunity to hear from a politician at the very heart of the conversation.”

Greg Wright, The Yorkshire Post’s deputy business editor, who will also speak at the awards, said: “We are delighted that Sir Keir has agreed to speak at these prestigious awards. He will provide a fascinating insight into the biggest political and economic issue of our times.”

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The awards celebrate and honour the region’s fastest growing firms to stimulate debate and economic growth.

Mr Wright added: “The Yorkshire Post has worked in partnership with Ward Hadaway to promote the Fastest 50 awards since they were established in 2011.

“They have grown in popularity each year and act as a sounding board for the region’s business community.

“As Brexit approaches, it’s more important than ever that the region’s voice is heard in the corridors of power.

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“The fact that we’ve managed to attract one of the country’s biggest political names to this year’s Fastest 50 awards is a testament to their growing influence.”

“Sir Keir will be the latest in a long line of charismatic speakers who have made the Fastest 50 awards an event to remember.”

Ward Hadaway is one of the UK’s Top 100 law firms with offices in Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester.

Ward Hadaway has around 450 people in its team and more than 90 partners, with nationally recognised legal specialists in a wide range of sectors.

Ward Hadaway has seen its Yorkshire operation grow considerably since it was established in Leeds in 2008.