Party conferences

What are party conferences?

Every autumn, UK political parties hold their annual conferences – gatherings of politicians, party members and affiliated groups, aimed at rallying support for the party. For all parties, conferences are an opportunity to raise revenue, connect with their membership and attract media attention.

What is the purpose of party conferences? 

Conferences attract significant media attention and provide an opportunity for parties to promote policies and to set out their overall political agenda to the party faithful and the public. This can be particularly important for opposition parties who receive less attention during the rest of the political year. They are a rare occasion when the broad church of a party comes together and can provide an opportunity to test the temperature of the party and to encourage activists. 

Conferences are also used to raise funds. In 2024, party conferences raised £5.5 million for the Conservatives, ²² The Electoral Commission, ‘Yearly Statement of Accounts 2024: Conservative and Unionist Party’, 20 August 2024, retrieved 21 August 2025,  £1.1 million for the Liberal Democrats ²³ The Electoral Commission, ‘Yearly Statement of Accounts 2024: The Liberal Democrats, 20 August 2025, retrieved 21 August 2025, https://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Accounts/ST0029809  and £443,192 for the SNP. ²⁴ The Electoral Commission, ‘Yearly Statement of Accounts 2024: Scottish National Party’, 20 August 2025, retrieved 21 August 2025, https://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Accounts/ST0029838  Labour accounts for 2024 have yet to be released, but for 2023 it reported raising £7.5 million from commercial revenue (which includes activities other than conference). ²⁵ The Electoral Commission, ‘Yearly Statement of Accounts 2023: Labour Party, 16 August 2024, retrieved 21 August 2025, https://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Accounts/ST0028495

What role do conferences play in party governance? 

Some parties' conferences play an important part in setting a party’s agenda:

• The Labour Party's rule book states that "the work of the Party shall be under the direction and control of Party conference." ²⁶ Labour Party, ‘The Labour Party Rule Book 2024’, retrieved 21 August 2025, https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Rule-Book-2024.pdf  At Labour's conference, delegates from trade unions, affiliated groups and constituency parties put forward motions and vote on them, deciding the party's platform and policy positions for the year.
• The Liberal Democrats’ conference is their most important decision making body. All party members can take part in conference debates and vote on policy through a one member­–one vote system.
• Reform UK’s conference includes “consideration of motions on Party policy and strategy” which will be discussed by the party’s board thereafter. ²⁷ Reform UK, ‘Party Constitution’, https://reformuk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Reform_UK_Constitution.pdf
• The Scottish National Party (SNP) conference is their supreme governing body, consisting of constituency delegates, MPs, MSPs, local councillors and affiliated organisations. The conference is used to elect their National Executive Committee and vote on key policy positions.

The Conservative Party does not vote on policy at their conference, instead focusing on keynote speeches by the leadership, and building connections with donors in order to raise funds.

How does the governing party use party conference? 

Most media focus is generally on the conference of whichever party is in power (or parties, in the case of a coalition). Ministers generally make announcements about government policy at party conferences, using the profile of the event to gain attention for their policy areas. Civil servants are not allowed to help ministers draft party political speeches, but they can advise them on policy decisions to be announced at conference, in the same way as they advise on any other government decision.

When do party conferences take place?

Parliament usually enters recess for three weeks in autumn to allow parties to run their conferences. While the devolved Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties in Scotland and Wales hold their own conferences, usually in the spring, other parties in the devolved governments typically hold their conferences in autumn. The Labour Party also hosts conferences throughout the year for different regions in England.

​How many people go to conferences and who are they?

Party conferences attract a wide array of people connected to and interested in the party. This includes party members, politicians, activists, journalists and representatives from think tanks, trade unions, charities and businesses. The Labour and Conservative conferences typically attract around 12,000 attendees each year but in 2024 the Labour conference had over 20,000 attendees. ²⁸ Labour Party, ‘Annual Conference 2025’, retrieved 21 August 2025, https://labour.org.uk/annual-conference/general-information/  The Conservatives also host a ‘spring forum’, with around 8,000 attendees. The Liberal Democrats and SNP host two conferences a year, in the spring and autumn, which each attract a few thousand attendees.

Where do the usually take place?

Labour’s conference has for the past decade alternated between Brighton, Manchester and Liverpool, but since 2021 it has taken place in Liverpool. while the Conservative Party conference has recently alternated between Manchester and Birmingham. 

In recent years the Liberal Democrat conference has alternated between Brighton and Bournemouth. The SNP's conference is usually held in Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen. Reform UK’s first conference took place in London but since 2024 it has been located in Birmingham.