The Labour Party Conference is the annual conference of the British Labour Party. It is formally the supreme decision-making body of the party and is traditionally held in the final week of September, during the party conference season when the House of Commons is in recess, after each year's second Liberal Democrat Conference and before the Conservative Party Conference. The Labour Party Conference opens on a Sunday and finishes the following Wednesday, with an address by the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party; the Leader's address is usually on the Tuesday. In contrast to the Liberal Democrat Conference, where every party member attending its Conference, either in-person or online, has the right to vote on party policy, under a one member, one vote system, or the Conservative Party Conference, which does not hold votes on party policy, at the Labour Party Conference, 50% of votes are allocated to affiliated organisations (such as trade unions), and the other 50% to Constituency Labour Parties, but all voting in both categories is restricted to nominated representatives (known as delegates). Conference decisions are not binding on the party leadership, even if carried unanimously.
Conference
Delegates Delegates to the conference are elected by Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs), affiliated trade unions and socialist societies. Currently, affiliated trade unions hold 50% of the votes at the conference, down from 80% in the era before Tony Blair. Some 40% of the votes are wielded by the three largest trade unions (Unite, GMB, Unison).
Resolutions Resolutions for debate are put forward by CLPs and unions before the conference begins. Each CLP, Trade Union and Socialist Society may make one submission to Annual Conference, either a constitutional amendment (rule change) or a motion.
CLPs, Trade Unions and Socialist Societies may submit emergency motions for consideration for debate by the Conference Arrangements Committee on urgent matters that have arisen since the deadline for motions.
Role of the NEC
The National Executive Committee leads the conference (although the details of the conference, including what is debated, are managed by the Conference Arrangements Committee) and if it does not agree with a resolution, the committee may put pressure on the backers to withdraw or remit it. Remittance means that the resolution's backers agree to "send back" the resolution to the National Executive so that it can consider the matter in more detail; this is viewed by some as a mere delaying tactic. The resolutions voted upon are normally composites, meaning that they have been compiled by combining several resolutions put forward by different bodies into a single wording agreed beforehand.
Conference Fringe Alongside the official business of Conference, there is an extensive fringe programme. The programme consists of a range of events including seminars, debates, workshops and receptions across the conference site and the host city. These events are run by different organisations with many differing themes and topics of discussion.
List of conferences + Annual conference locations (1975 to 2025) City Occasions Brighton 20 Blackpool 14 Liverpool 7 Manchester 5 Bournemouth 4
Of the Labour Representation Committee DateLocationChairRef27–28 February 1900LondonW. C. Steadman1 February 1901ManchesterJohn Hodge20–23 February 1902BirminghamWilliam John Davis19–21 February 1903NewcastleJoseph Nicholas Bell4–5 February 1904BradfordJohn Hodge26–29 January 1905LiverpoolArthur Henderson15–17 February 1906London
Of the Labour Party DateLocationChairParty leaderNotesRef24–26 January 1907BelfastJ. J. StephensonKeir Hardie20–22 January 1908HullWalter Hudson27–29 January 1909PortsmouthJ. R. ClynesArthur Henderson9–11 February 1910NewportKeir Hardie1–3 February 1911LeicesterWilliam C. RobinsonGeorge Barnes24–26 January 1912BirminghamBen TurnerRamsay MacDonald29–31 January 1913LondonGeorge Roberts27–30 January 1914GlasgowTom Fox1915No conference26–28 January 1916BristolWilliam AndersonArthur Henderson23–26 January 1917ManchesterGeorge Wardle23–25 January 1918NottinghamFrank PurdyWilliam AdamsonAdjourned, resumed in London on 26 February.26–28 June 1918London25–27 June 1919SouthportJohn McGurk22–25 June 1920ScarboroughWilliam Harold Hutchinson1921No conferenceJ. R. Clynes1922No conference26–29 June 1923LondonSidney WebbRamsay MacDonald7–10 October 1924LondonRamsay MacDonaldFirst ever conference as governing party.29 September – 2 October 1925LiverpoolCharlie Cramp11–15 October 1926MargateRobert Williams3–7 October 1927BlackpoolFrederick Roberts1–5 October 1928BirminghamGeorge Lansbury30 September – 4 October 1929BrightonHerbert Morrison6–10 October 1930LlandudnoSusan Lawrence5–8 October 1931ScarboroughStanley HirstArthur Henderson3–7 October 1932LeicesterGeorge Lathan2–6 October 1933HastingsJoseph ComptonGeorge Lansbury1–5 October 1934SouthportWalter Smith30 September – 4 October 1935BrightonWilliam Albert Robinson5–9 October 1936EdinburghJennie AdamsonClement Attlee4–8 October 1937BournemouthHugh Dalton1938No conference29 May – 2 June 1939SouthportGeorge Dallas13–16 May 1940BournemouthBarbara Ayrton-Gould2–4 June 1941LondonJames Walker25–28 May 1942LondonWalter Green14–18 June 1943LondonAlfred Dobbs11–15 December 1944LondonGeorge Ridley21–25 May 1945BlackpoolEllen Wilkinson10–14 June 1946BournemouthHarold Laski26–30 May 1947MargatePhilip Noel-Baker17–21 May 1948ScarboroughManny Shinwell6–10 June 1949BlackpoolJim Griffiths2–6 October 1950MargateSam Watson1–3 October 1951ScarboroughAlice Bacon29 September – 3 October 1952MorecambeHarry Earnshaw28 September – 2 October 1953MargateArthur Greenwood27 September – 1 October 1954ScarboroughWilfrid Burke10–14 October 1955MargateEdith Summerskill1–5 October 1956BlackpoolEdwin GoochHugh Gaitskell30 September – 4 October 1957BrightonPeggy Herbison29 September – 3 October 1958ScarboroughTom Driberg28–29 November 1959BlackpoolBarbara Castle3–7 October 1960ScarboroughGeorge Brinham2–6 October 1961BlackpoolRichard Crossman2–5 October 1962BrightonHarold Wilson30 September – 4 October 1963ScarboroughDai DaviesHarold Wilson12–13 December 1964BrightonTony Greenwood27 September – October 1965BlackpoolRay Gunter3–7 October 1966BrightonWalter Padley2–6 October 1967ScarboroughJohn Boyd30 September – 4 October 1968BlackpoolJennie Lee29 September – 3 October 1969BrightonEirene White28 September – 2 October 1970BlackpoolArthur Skeffington4–8 October 1971BrightonIan Mikardo2–6 October 1972BlackpoolTony Benn1–5 October 1973BlackpoolWilliam Simpson27–30 November 1974LondonJames Callaghan26 April 1975LondonFred MulleySpecial Conference on the Common Market.29 September – October 1975Blackpool27 September – 1 October 1976BlackpoolTom BradleyJames Callaghan3–7 October 1977BrightonJoan Lestor2–6 October 1978BlackpoolLast conference with Labour in government for 19 years.1–5 October 1979BrightonFrank Allaun29 September – 3 October 1980BlackpoolLena Jeger24 January 1981WembleyAlec KitsonMichael FootSpecial Conference to set up the electoral college for the election of party leader, Michael Foot.27 September – 2 October 1981BrightonDenis Healey defeats Tony Benn in the deputy leadership election.27 September – 1 October 1982BlackpoolJudith Hart3–8 October 1983BrightonSam McCluskieNeil Kinnock1–5 October 1984BlackpoolEric Heffer29 September – 4 October 1985BournemouthAlan HaddenKinnock rails against Militant-led Liverpool CouncilJames Naughtie, Labour in Bournemouth: Kinnock rounds on left's militants, Guardian Unlimited, 2 October 1985. Retrieved 29 September 202528 September – 3 October 1986BlackpoolNeville Hough27 September – 2 October 1987BrightonSyd Tierney2–7 October 1988BlackpoolNeil Kinnock1–6 October 1989BrightonDennis Skinner30 September – 5 October 1990BlackpoolJo Richardson29 September – 4 October 1991BrightonJohn Evans27 September – 2 October 1992BlackpoolTony ClarkeJohn Smith26 September – 1 October 1993BrightonDavid Blunkett Trade union block vote replaced with one member, one vote.3–7 October 1994BlackpoolTony Blair "New Labour" rebranding officially unveiled.29 April 1995LondonGordon CollingSpecial Conference on the Party Constitution.2–6 October 1995Brighton30 September – 4 October 1996BlackpoolDiana Jeuda29 September – 3 October 1997BrightonRobin CookFirst conference after Labour's general election victory. 28 September – 2 October 1998BlackpoolRichard Rosser27 September – 1 October 1999BournemouthBrenda Etchells24–28 September 2000Brighton 30 September – 3 October 2001Brighton Ended early due to parliament recall for updates on the September 11 attacks30 September – 3 October 2002Blackpool 28 September – 2 October 2003Bournemouth Ian McCartney 26–30 September 2004Brighton 26–29 September 2005Brighton 24–28 September 2006Manchester 23–27 September 2007Bournemouth Gordon Brown 20–24 September 2008Manchester 27 September – 1 October 2009Brighton 26–30 September 2010Manchester Ed Miliband 25–29 September 2011Liverpool 30 September – 4 October 2012Manchester 22–25 September 2013Brighton 1 March 2014London Special conference on party reform21–24 September 2014Manchester 12 September 2015London Jeremy CorbynSpecial conference for leadership elections27–30 September 2015Brighton 25–28 September 2016Liverpool 24–27 September 2017Brighton 23–26 September 2018Liverpool 21–25 September 2019Brighton Wendy Nichols 4 April 2020London Keir StarmerSpecial conference for leadership elections19–22 September 2020Online Originally to be hosted in Liverpool. Took place online as "Labour Connected" due to COVID-19 pandemic25–29 September 2021Brighton 25–28 September 2022Liverpool Anneliese Dodds 8–11 October 2023Liverpool 21–25 September 2024Liverpool Ellie Reeves First conference after Labour's general election victory. 28 September–1 October 2025LiverpoolAnna Turley 17 July 2026LondonAndy BurnhamSpecial conference for the leadership election 27 – 30 September 2026Liverpool
Conferences
Hugh Gaitskell leadership
1957 Brighton Aneurin Bevan made a speech disavowing unilateral nuclear disarmament, claiming that it would send the government "naked into the conference chamber".
Harold Wilson leadership
1966 Brighton Nicolas Walter shouted "hypocrite" at Wilson in protest against support given by the government to US behaviour in the Vietnam War. Walter was bundled out of the venue, arrested, charged with "indecency in church" under the 1860 Ecclesiastical Courts Jurisdiction Act because Wilson was speaking in a church, and imprisoned for two months.
James Callaghan leadership
1976 Blackpool Chancellor of the Exchequer Denis Healey announced his plans for a $3.9 billion loan from the IMF to tackle inflation, as well as continuing existing pay policies and public spending restraints.
Michael Foot leadership
September 1981 Brighton There was a minute's silence at the Conference in memory of Bill Shankly, former Liverpool FC manager and lifelong Labour supporter. The deputy leadership election took place, with incumbent deputy Denis Healey narrowly defeating challenger Tony Benn.
Neil Kinnock leadership
1983 Brighton
Neil Kinnock was elected party leader with 71% of the vote, following Labour's defeat in the June general election, succeeding Michael Foot. Roy Hattersley joined him as deputy leader. In his speech, Kinnock stated that "we can enjoy fraternity between socialists and we must enjoy fidelity to socialism." The editorial board of Militant were expelled.
1985 Bournemouth In his speech, Kinnock attacked Militant and their record in the leadership of Liverpool City Council, leading to a walkout led by Eric Heffer.James Naughtie, Labour in Bournemouth: Kinnock rounds on left's militants, Guardian Unlimited, 2 October 1985. Retrieved 25 March 2007.
1989 Brighton The rules for the election of the Parliamentary Committee were changed, expanding it to 18 seats, at least three of which were to be filled by women.
John Smith leadership