How The Tories And Labour Plan To Mark The Queen's Death At Their Party Conferences

The Lib Dems cancelled their event as it was due to take place during the national mourning period.
People walk past a picture in the window of WH Smiths in memory of Queen Elizabeth II in Windsor.
People walk past a picture in the window of WH Smiths in memory of Queen Elizabeth II in Windsor.
Andrew Matthews via PA Wire/PA Images

The Tories and Labour will mark the Queen’s death at their upcoming party conferences - but both events will definitely go ahead.

The Lib Dems cancelled their annual gathering, which was due to take place in Brighton from this weekend, as a mark of respect to the late monarch.

Labour will hold their conference in Liverpool from September 25-28, while the Conservatives will meet in Birmingham from October 2-5.

Details are still being finalised on how both parties plan to commemorate the Queen, who died last week aged 96.

HuffPost UK has learned that Labour are likely to hold a minute’s silence at the beginning of their conference to allow activists to register their tribute.

“We’ll obviously want to reflect recent events and pay tribute to the Queen at the start of conference,” a senior Labour source said.

However, the source dismissed reports that the receptions and parties which are a key part of conference will be “toned down” this year as a mark of respect.

“There is a feeling of getting things back to normal, which is important,” the source said.

Conservative sources said the party is planning “a number of things” to mark the Queen’s passing.

It is understood they will include a minute’s silence, as well as the playing of the national anthem.

Conferences are a major money spinner for political parties, so there was never any real prospect of Labour or the Tories cancelling theirs, given they will take place after the national period of mourning is over.

In an email to Lib Dem officials confirming the cancellation of their event, federal conference committee chair Nick da Costa said: “Conference is a major part of our budget and we stand to lose hundreds of thousands of pounds through this cancellation in lost income. (Event insurance policies do not cover the death of a monarch.)

“At this point many of our supplier contracts are unavoidable. This means that our party will take a substantial financial hit as a result of cancelling the conference. Our finances are already very stretched and so coping with this will not be easy.”

Close

What's Hot