Former leaders of the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats will take part in live in-person events as part of Cambridge Literary Festival's summer programme.

Ed Miliband and Vince Cable are just two of the planned guests as the literary festival hosts live events again following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Ely Standard: Former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband will appear live in Cambridge for a socially distanced audience at West Road Concert Hall.Former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband will appear live in Cambridge for a socially distanced audience at West Road Concert Hall. (Image: Supplied by Cambridge Literary Festival)

Festival director Cathy Moore said: “The past 18 months has seen CLF take its place in the top tier of UK literary festivals.

"We are the first festival in the UK to have delivered three online festivals and our growing reputation for excellence allows us to attract literary heavyweights to stage world-class conversations.

"Whilst online has swiftly become the new normal, we have not forgotten the joy and spontaneity of our live events. I personally cannot wait to hear the buzz and meet and greet everyone in Cambridge again."

It’s been 18 months since a literary event was held in Cambridge by the festival.

With three digital festivals under their belt, and a whole lot of screen time clocked up, it’s time to open up the doors.

On Thursday, June 24, former Labour leader Ed Miliband will be on stage with Melissa Benn at West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge, to talk about his new book, Go Big: How To Fix Our World.

The book is described as an empowering and uplifting set of practical and transformative solutions drawn from imaginative and ambitious ideas, to provide a vision for how to remake society.

Ely Standard: Vince Cable will talk about his new book, Money and Power, The World Leaders Who Changed Economics.Vince Cable will talk about his new book, Money and Power, The World Leaders Who Changed Economics. (Image: Vince Cable)

On July 28, another former UK political leader, Vince Cable, will talk about his new book, Money and Power: The World Leaders Who Changed Economics.

On August 4, Booker shortlisted bestselling writer and honorary patron of the festival, Elif Shafak, launches her new novel, The Island of Missing Trees.

Ely Standard: Elif Shafak will launch her new novel, The Island of Missing Trees, at a Cambridge Literary Festival event.Elif Shafak will launch her new novel, The Island of Missing Trees, at a Cambridge Literary Festival event. (Image: Olivier Hess Ltd)

Elif will be in conversation with journalist and broadcaster Alex Clark about her tale of two star-crossed lovers in war-torn Cyprus.

And on September 29, Colm Tóibín will share his new novel The Magician live on stage. It's a story of 20th-century literary titan Thomas Mann.

Ely Standard: Colm Tóibín will share his new novel The Magician live on stage at a forthcoming Cambridge Literary Festival event.Colm Tóibín will share his new novel The Magician live on stage at a forthcoming Cambridge Literary Festival event. (Image: Brigitte Lacombe)

For CLF's new and global audience, and for those who simply prefer to watch from home, organisers will also be recording and livestreaming where possible the events on the night.

Tickets will be available for both online and in-person events via the website www.cambridgeliteraryfestival.com