The party conference season starts

Although the Green Party had their conference on 3rd-6th September, and the TUC's annual jamboree is underway now, what is often considered the real conference season starts this Saturday when the Liberal Democrats visit Bournemouth, then Labour gather in Brighton 27th September - Ist October, with the Conservatives the last to host their annual event in Manchester on 5th-8th October.

The party conference season is in reality a festival of politics which allows parties to have access to the media, moreover on issues of their own choosing. Commentators tend to focus then on this outward looking element of conference, and this is certainly important, but conference is much more than this. Indeed, most of the real business goes on away from the cameras and the conference hall. It provides delegates the opportunity to network, socialise and see old friends and acts a bit like cognitive dissonance is helping them reaffirm their political faith. The parties can also generate income from the stalls that pressure groups, lobbyists and other interested followers have. And certainly it can shape party and wider perception of the party's leadership.

Who attends conference from beyond the confines of party activists can also be a very good barometer of political opinion. The Liberal Democrast (and their predecessor parties) were able to move from smaller conference venues such as Torquay not just because their membership grew, but because as they gained control or influence on more and more councils, a growign number of organisations felt it was worthwhile attending and lobbying both activists and senior party figures. In the middle of the 1990s the attendance of other organisations, and the media, significantly grew at Labour conferences as they realised they needed to talk to the next Party of government at a range of levels. I would expect, therefore, that this year the Conservatives are likely to have the larger conference in terms of non-partisan attendees, adn quite probably the one with greatest 'buzz'..

This will be the last conference before the next election, and so it takes on an added importance. Can each of the three main partites get their internal ducks in a row, or will there be diversive arguments? How will the leaders perform? Will any new figures come to prominance as a result of an excellent rousing speech? Will the delegates go home fired up to, in David Steel's immortal words, "prepare for Government"?

Ultimately, the 2009 conferences are part of the election campaign. They won't tell us much, but they will give us some interesting pointers in what shape each party is in, and possibly how they might approach the election.