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 and seats won in Parliament, hold two annual conferences each, in Spring and 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.

2018 Conference Season

The dates and locations of the 2018 conferences are expected to be as follows:

• Trades Union Congress – Sunday 9 September to Wednesday 12 September at Manchester Central^[2]
• Liberal Democrats – Saturday 15 September - Tuesday 18 September 2018 at the Brighton Centre
• Labour – Sunday 23 September to Wednesday 26 September 2018 at the ACC Liverpool
• Conservatives – Sunday 30 September to Wednesday 3 October 2018 at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham
• Scottish Conservatives – Friday 2 March to Saturday 3 March 2018 at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (cancelled due to the "Beast from the East" storm)
• Scottish National Party – Spring Conference - Friday 8 June to Saturday 9 June 2018 at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.
• UKIP – Friday 21 September to Saturday 22 September 2018 at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham
• Plaid Cymru – 5 October and 6 October at Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan
• Green Party of England and Wales – Friday 5 October to Sunday 7 October at the City Hall, Bristol
• Libertarian Party UK - Saturday 6th October at MK Conferencing, Milton Keynes ^[3]
• Scottish National Party – Annual Conference – Sunday 7 October to Tuesday 9 October 2018 at The SEC Centre, Glasgow^[4]
• Cooperative Party – Annual Conference – Friday 12 October to Sunday 14 October 2018 at Mecure Grand Hotel, Bristol^[5]
• Scottish Green Party – 20 and 21 October at University of Strathclyde Technology and Innovation Centre, Glasgow
• Women's Equality Party - Friday 7th September - Sunday 9th September - Kettering Conference Centre

2017 Conference Season

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

• Liberal Democrats – Saturday 16 September - Tuesday 19 September 2017 at the Bournemouth International Centre^[6]
• Labour – Sunday 24 September to Wednesday 27 September 2017 at the Brighton Centre^[7]
• UKIP – Friday 29 September to Saturday 30 September at the Riviera International Conference Centre in Torquay.^[8]
• Conservatives – Sunday 1 October to Wednesday 4 October at the Manchester Central Convention Complex^[9]
• Green Party of England and Wales – Saturday 7 October to Tuesday 10 October 2017 at the Harrogate International Centre^[10]
• Scottish National Party – Sunday 8 October to Tuesday 10 October at The SEC Centre, Glasgow^[11]
• Plaid Cymru – Friday 20 October 2017 and Saturday 21 October at the Galeri, Caernarfon^[12]
• Scottish Green Party – Saturday 21 October and Sunday 22 October at the Edinburgh Napier University Sighthill Campus, Edinburgh^[13]

2016 Conference Season

Labour Conference at ACC Liverpool

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

• Green Party of England and Wales – Friday 2 September to Sunday 4 September 2016 at the University of Birmingham^[14]
• UKIP – Thursday 15 to Saturday 17 September at the Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth^[15]
• Liberal Democrats – Saturday 17 September to Tuesday 20 September at the Brighton Centre, Brighton^[16]
• Labour – Sunday 25 September to Wednesday 28 September 2016 at the ACC Liverpool, Liverpool^[17]
• Conservatives – Sunday 2 to Wednesday 5 October at International Convention Centre, Birmingham^[18]
• Scottish National Party – Thursday 13 to Saturday 15 October at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow^[19]
• Plaid Cymru – Friday 21 to Saturday 22 October at the Pavilion, Llangollen^[20]
• Scottish Green Party – Friday 21 to Sunday 23 October at Perth Concert Hall and the Royal George Hotel, Perth^[21]

2015 Conference Season

Temporary fences in Manchester during the Conservatives conference

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

• Liberal Democrats – Saturday 19 to Wednesday 23 September at the Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth^[22]
• UKIP – Thursday 24 to Saturday 26 September at Doncaster Racecourse, Doncaster^[23]
• Green Party – Friday 25 to Monday 28 September at the Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth^[24]
• Labour – Sunday 27 to Wednesday 30 September at the Brighton Centre, Brighton^[25]
• Conservatives – Sunday 4 to Wednesday 7 October at Manchester Central, Manchester^[26]
• Scottish Green Party - Saturday 10 to Sunday 11 October at the Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow.^[27] It was the party's most well attended conference so far.
• Scottish National Party – Thursday 15 to Saturday 17 October at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, Aberdeen^[28]
• Plaid Cymru – Friday 23 – Saturday 24 October at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth^[29]

2014 Conference Season

The dates of the 2014 conferences were as follows:

• Green Party of England and Wales – 5 to 8 September, at Aston University, Birmingham^[30]
• Trades Union Congress – 7 to 10 September, in Liverpool^[31]
• Labour – 21 to 24 September, in Manchester^[32]
• UKIP – 26 to 27 September, in Doncaster^[33]
• Official Monster Raving Loony Party – 26th, 27th & 28th Sept, in Llandrindod Wells, Powys
• Conservatives – 28 September to 1 October, in Birmingham^[34]
• Liberal Democrats – 4 to 8 October, in Glasgow^[35]
• Scottish Green Party – 11 to 12 October, in Edinburgh^[36]
• Plaid Cymru – 24 to 25 October, in Aberystwyth^[37]
• Scottish National Party – 13 to 15 November, in Perth^[38]

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:

• Trades Union Congress – 8 to 11 September, in Bournemouth
• Green Party of England and Wales – 13 to 16 September, in Brighton
• Liberal Democrats – 14 to 18 September, in Glasgow
• UKIP – 20 to 21 September, in London
• Labour- 22 to 25 September, in Brighton
• Conservatives – 29 September to 2 October, in Manchester^[39]
• Plaid Cymru – 11 to 12 October, in Aberystwyth
• Scottish National Party – 17 to 20 October, in Perth

2012 Conference Season

The dates of the 2012 conferences were as follows:

• Green Party of England and Wales – 7 to 10 September, in Bristol
• Trades Union Congress – 9 to 12 September, in Brighton
• Plaid Cymru – 13 to 15 September, in Brecon
• UKIP – 21 to 22 September, in Birmingham
• Liberal Democrats – 22 to 26 September, in Brighton
• Labour- 30 September to 4 October, in Manchester
• Conservatives – 8 to 11 October, in Birmingham
• Scottish National Party – 18 to 21 October, in Perth

See also

• Conservative Party Conference
• Labour Party Conference
• Liberal Democrat Federal Conference

References