Labour Party Conference is coming to Liverpool – here’s everything you need to know

The Labour Party Conference is heading to Liverpool in September for the first time since the party’s General Election win back in July.

The Labour Party Conference is a huge event, putting a national and international spotlight on the city, and the first chance for the new Prime Minister and some of his top team to take to the stage.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Labour Party Annual Conference in Liverpool …

When is it on and where will it be?

The conference runs from Sunday September 22 to Wednesday September 25 and events will be held at the ACC, the Exhibition Centre and the waterfront Pullman Hotel. The official Fringe venues will be ACC Liverpool, The Pullman Hotel, The Hilton Hotel and Leonardo Hotel.

How many people will be there?

Last year’s Labour Party Annual Conference, which was also here in Liverpool, was attended by a total of 18,000 delegates.

Why is it important that it’s in Liverpool?

This is the sixth time the Labour conference has been held at ACC Liverpool – it was here in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2023 – and it doesn’t just bring in thousands of people to the event itself, it also has a massive knock-on effect for the wider economy. Last year’s conference was estimated to have given the city a record £29million boost. 

What happens at the conference?

It’s an opportunity for Labour Party members, activists and delegates from affiliated organisations including trade unions to come together to hear more about policies, get involved in debates and attend events.

The conference is basically split into three hubs – the main Exhibition Centre space is usually dedicated to an auditorium for speeches from Ministers and Labour MPs which are the major focus for media coverage.

Alongside those there is also an exhibition hall with around 300 stands, a Fringe programme which last year included more than 500 events, panels and Q&As, as well as other more informal socials. At previous conferences, local businesses have been given a chance to discuss issues and share their experiences with the Labour Party through a dedicated Sunday session. 

Who’ll be here and what are going to be the highlights?

This year’s speech running order is still to be finally confirmed but so far it is: Keir Starmer’s Leader’s speech on Tuesday September 24, Deputy Leader Angela Rayner on Sunday and Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Monday.

The Prime Minister’s afternoon speech is obviously the biggest box office, so auditorium balcony tickets for that are allocated by a ballot.

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