Ask any British politico and they'll tell you, the three weeks in late September and early October are synonymous with political party conferences. The 3 main parties: Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats transport their headquarters northwards, to Liverpool, Manchester or Birmingham.
Where Prime Minister David Cameron, Labour leader Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg venture, so to do thousands of delegates, lobbyists and enthusiasts, who also...
more »Ask any British politico and they'll tell you, the three weeks in late September and early October are synonymous with political party conferences. The 3 main parties: Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats transport their headquarters northwards, to Liverpool, Manchester or Birmingham.
Where Prime Minister David Cameron, Labour leader Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg venture, so to do thousands of delegates, lobbyists and enthusiasts, who also dutifully make the pilgrimage.
Precisely because of the implicit and explicit aims of conference, to announce and advance policy, thereby galvanizing party members, one would think the mood to be serious. The overwhelming majority of all things conference occur within a secure zone, each attendee wears a compulsory accreditation badge, a phalanx of machine gun toting officers patrol the perimeter, snipers assume rooftop perches, and in the case of the Conservatives, a helicopter hovers above, as a protest 30,000 strong demonstrate against the prime minister.
And the mood is sobering, in part. However, introduce a fabulous cast of eccentric attendees, resolute lobbyists with far-ranging motivations, the endless scheduling of divergent fringe meetings, in addition to the formally scheduled speeches on stage, an active culture of late night carousing, and the result is far more vivacious and variable. Curiously, this year's notable addition was that of Hugh Grant, who appeared at all three conferences for the Hacked Off campaign.
Days are long, discussions of policy are ever-present, lobbying opportunities are many, as the agenda plows forward relentlessly, but one observes that conference strives to be the ultimate rallying cry, the crescendo transpiring during the leader's speech. Emerging from conference the feeling is hopeful, and that somehow, with much momentum generated, regardless of the state or health of the party beforehand, opinion polls are sure to rise, and all is possible.
« less
