Labour conference heads to Manchester
The Labour Party will break with tradition in 2006 and hold its annual conference in Manchester.
The move is seen as a blow for Blackpool, which along with Bournemouth and Brighton has hosted conferences for the big three political parties for decades.
Labour’s National Executive Committee has attempted to soften the decision by ruling that Blackpool should host the party’s 2006 spring conference in February.
But it seems to have deemed Blackpool’s conference facilities, particularly the main Winter Gardens venue, too small to hold the larger autumn conference.
Labour Party chairman Ian McCartney said: “Following on from great recent events such as the Commonwealth Games, and Labour’s Spring Conference in 2004, we are delighted to be coming to Manchester and this shows the city has joined the list of great conference venues.”
Labour last held its autumn conference in Blackpool in 2002. Bournemouth hosted the 2003 conference while Brighton was the venue in 2004.
The party is returning to Brighton in 2005.
