It will feature local campaign groups talking about different areas of civil liberties, combined with live video feeds of high-profile speeches and debates from the likes of Shami Chakrabati and David Davis MP.

The Manchester Convention is being organised by Dave Page of Manchester NO2ID, with support from Students Against ID and Unlock Democracy. The Convention is a call to all concerned with the threats to our fundamental rights and freedoms – from our own State, from terrorism and the responses to terrorism and from the gathering financial crisis.

Dave Page said, "Civil liberties keep us safe, not just from the threat of authoritarianism but also from well-meaning bureaucrats and those who would enslave us with mindless conformity. This Convention will bring together local people from across the political spectrum who are aware of the ongoing and increasing threats to our freedoms. We will not only discuss, but also organise and propose action which everybody can take to defend their civil liberties."

The Manchester Convention website is  http://manchester.no2id.net/modernliberty

For more information on the Convention on Modern Liberty, see  http://www.modernliberty.net/