Party conference season

In the United Kingdom the party conference season is the period of three weeks in September and October of each year, whilst the House of Commons is in recess, in which the annual political party conferences are held.

The Conservative Party Conference, Labour Party Conference and Liberal Democrat Federal Conference, representing the three largest UK-wide political parties, in terms of votes cast, hold their main annual conferences in Autumn.

UK-wide political party conferences have traditionally taken place in seaside resorts such as Blackpool, Brighton and Bournemouth, largely due to there being plenty of cheap accommodation available in such towns at the end of the summer holiday season. However, they are increasingly taking place in major cities with modern, purpose-built conference centres such as Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.[1]

Conferences for the devolved Scottish and Welsh parties of the UK-wide Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative parties are held in March, while the Scottish Green Party holds two conferences each year – a one-day policy event alongside the devolved conferences in March and a two or three day main conference during the main conference season.

There is an unofficial agreement between the parties that they will stagger the timing of their conferences such that media attention be undivided, though smaller parties do not always abide by this rule firmly. In 2012 for example, there was an overlap between the Liberal Democrat and United Kingdom Independence Party annual conferences, with the latter concluding on the opening day of the former, and in 2013 the Liberal Democrat and Green Party of England and Wales conferences overlapped by three days.


2020 conference season

The dates and locations of the 2020 conferences were planned to be as follows:

However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic all the physical party conferences were moved online. The Labour conference was replaced by an online event called "Labour Connected" from 19 to 22 September,[5] the Liberal Democrat conference was rescheduled for 25 to 28 September[6] and the Conservative conference for 3 to 6 October.[7] The Scottish National Party conference was the last major party conference of the season, held online from 28 to 30 November.[8]

2019 conference season

The dates and locations of the Autumn 2019 conferences were as follows:

PartyStart dateEnd dateVenueNotes
Trades Union CongressSunday 8 September 2019Wednesday 11 September 2019The Brighton Centre[9]
Liberal DemocratsSaturday 14 September 2019Tuesday 17 September 2019Bournemouth International Centre
LabourSaturday 21 September 2019Wednesday 25 September 2019The Brighton Centre
ConservativesSunday 29 September 2019Wednesday 2 October 2019Manchester Central Convention Complex
Green Party of England and WalesFriday 4 October 2019Sunday 6 October 2019International Convention Centre Wales[10]
Plaid Cymru Friday 4 October 2019 Sunday 6 October 2019 Swansea Grand Theatre
Scottish National PartySunday 13 October 2019Tuesday 15 October 2019The Event Complex Aberdeen[11]
Scottish Green Party Saturday 12 October 2019 Sunday 13 October 2019 Eden Court Inverness [12]

As a result of the defeat for the Government in Miller/Cherry, the September prorogation of Parliament was declared void, and Parliament sat from 25 September. This meant that the Labour conference was cut short and – after failing to win a vote for a recess – that the Conservative conference clashed with the sitting of Parliament for the first time.[13][14]

The dates and locations of other 2019 conferences are as follows:

PartyStart dateEnd dateVenueNotes
Scottish Liberal DemocratsFriday 22 FebruarySaturday 23 FebruaryThe Hamilton Townhouse[15]
Scottish LabourFriday 8 MarchSunday 10 MarchCaird Hall, Dundee[16]
Liberal Democrats Friday 15 March Sunday 17 March Barbican Centre, York [17]
Plaid CymruFriday 22 MarchSaturday 23 MarchPontio Centre, Bangor[18]
Welsh Liberal DemocratsSaturday 6 AprilSunday 7 AprilMarriott Hotel, Cardiff[19]
Scottish National PartySaturday 27 AprilSunday 28 AprilEdinburgh International Conference Centre[20]
Scottish ConservativesFriday 3 MaySaturday 4 MayAberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre[21]
Green Party of England and WalesFriday 7 JuneMonday 10 JuneThe Spa, Scarborough[22]

2018 conference season

The dates and locations of the 2018 conferences were as follows:

2017 conference season

The dates and locations of the 2017 conferences were as follows:

2016 conference season
Labour Conference at ACC Liverpool

The dates and locations of the 2016 conferences were as follows:

2015 conference season
Temporary fences in Manchester during the Conservatives conference

The dates and locations of the 2015 conferences were as follows:

2014 conference season

The dates of the 2014 conferences were as follows:

At their annual conference, the Scottish National Party held a leadership election following Alex Salmond's announcement of resignation. Nicola Sturgeon, formerly Salmond's deputy, was elected as their new leader.

2013 conference season

The dates of the 2013 conferences were as follows:

2012 conference season

The dates of the 2012 conferences were as follows:

See also

References
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  14. "Brexit: Boris Johnson loses second attempt to trigger early general election".
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