Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has issued a challenge to his own party, declaring "It's about time º£½ÇÊÓƵ Labour came back to Blackpool" in a move that could give the resort a significant boost.
Mr Webb used social media channel X (formerly Twitter) to call for Labour to bring its annual conference back to the resort in a move which would bring a £30m economic boost to the town.
Despite hosting its North West regional conference in Blackpool in recent years, the Labour Party hasn't held its main autumn conference in the town since 2002. Historically, Blackpool's Winter Gardens was a favoured venue for the party, having hosted the conference 14 times in the last half-century.
However, Liverpool has been the chosen location for the past three years and is set to host again in autumn 2025. Mr Webb believes that recent investments in the Winter Gardens' conference facilities, alongside new hotels such as the Holiday Inn, Hampton by Hilton and The Boulevard, along with plans for an additional hotel next to the Winter Gardens, make Blackpool a viable option once again.
He stated: "I am actively lobbying the Labour Party and NEC members to bring the annual conference back to Blackpool and recently spoke to the deputy prime minister about it. The restoration of the Winter Gardens, with the addition of the conference centre, has given us a world-leading centre that will meet the needs of any political party who want to come to our town.
"The addition of a hotel to the conference centre will add to the venue's suitability. This, along with the addition of the Holiday Inn – now best in º£½ÇÊÓƵ and Ireland – the award-winning Boulevard Hotel, the extension of Hampton by Hilton, and others, means Blackpool now has the high-standard accommodation conferences require.", reports .
"A five-day Labour conference has a £30m economic impact on its host town and would be game-changing for Blackpool, which already has a long and proud history of hosting party conferences."
The Conservatives last held their autumn conference in Blackpool in 2007, although the party returned to the Winter Gardens in March 2022 for their Spring Conference with then Prime Minister Boris Johnson among the speakers. Conferences currently booked into the Winter Gardens are set to have an economic impact of at least £14m, according to figures recently revealed.
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