Your Party Conference Survival Guide: Madano’s Top Tips

Written by Troy Aharonian, Net Zero Transition team

Party conference season is upon us and will take place during the most unique political moment in recent memory. In the wake of the Queen’s tragic passing, a new PM being appointed, and new Government being formed, skyrocketing energy prices and inflation that needs urgent attention, the Government and Opposition both have a dozen competing priorities.

• The Labour Party Conference will occur in Liverpool from Sunday 25 September to Wednesday 28.
• The Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham from Sunday 2 October to Wednesday 5 October.
• The SNP Conference in Aberdeen on Saturday 8 to Monday 10 October.

• The Liberal Democrat Conference in Brighton originally scheduled for 17 September to 20 September has been postponed due to Her Majesty’s passing.

To have a successful Conference, you should ensure some logistical arrangements are in order.

• Book your travel: One of the biggest challenges for many will be getting to the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences. There are currently no trains running from London to Liverpool on the Saturday and Sunday of Labour Party Conference. The Aslef union has announced that it will stage 24-hour walkouts on 1 and 5 October to target the CPC in Birmingham. Attendees will likely have to consider renting a car or bussing to Liverpool and Birmingham.
• Things are shaping up to be busy: Following the sort of half-way-house conference season we saw in 2021 – business is back, fringe events are well stocked, and MPs’ time is in high demand – it will be important to ensure that you plan your conference schedules carefully to ensure you make the most of your time in Liverpool or Birmingham, or indeed Brighton or Aberdeen.
• Wear comfortable shoes: While this may seem obvious, days at party conferences start early and end late. You will be on your feet for most of the day and events are spread across large conference centres. You will get your daily steps in so plan accordingly!

Those looking to understand the political landscape over the coming year should pay attention to the following three things.

• Who values net zero: With the cost of living continuing to gobble up headlines, the Government is prioritising the immediate measures it has proposed. Meanwhile, it will be analysing all government energy policy including the current Energy Bill progressing through Parliament with four goals in mind: energy affordability, boosting supply and energy security, economic growth and meeting the UK’s net zero goals. Can net zero compete with other priorities like cost-of-living, energy prices, inflation, and the war in Ukraine? Or do the Conservative and Labour parties see this crisis as a reason to double down on their commitments to net zero?
• Who is vying for attention or trying to keep relevant: Given the extent of change, and the seemingly inevitable hard recession – many organisations use party conferences as a way to ensure their priorities maintain in manifesto writer’s minds and relevant to the party caucus. Recent years have seen automation, innovation and green growth as key area – it is expected that net zero will be front and centre this year (given conference planning starts in the spring) but what will the conversations sitting around this look like?
• The next General Election and Scottish independence: There will obviously be plenty of talk and preparation at party conferences for the next election. We have just seen a significant cabinet reshuffle in the Conservative camp, and this will take time to bed, time that the electorate doesn’t want to give the party. But equally for the Scottish National Party – marking intent for the fate of the Union will also be a key part of their weekend in Aberdeen.

If you follow these simple tips, you will be set up for success at whichever party conference you and your organisation attend. If you would like to connect with a Madano team member at Labour or Conservative Party Conferences, please drop us a line at [email protected]