Tory party conference ‘in doubt’ after ruling
FEARS MANCHESTER ECONOMY WILL LOSE £32M IF DELEGATES MEETING CANCELLED
FEARS have been raised that Conservative party conference in Manchester next week will be postponed or cancelled following the Supreme Court decision that prorogation of Parliament was ‘unlawful.’
While Tory party chair James Cleverly has insisted it will still go ahead, Jeremy Corbyn has said he will try to scupper it – and government sources admitted to the M.E.N. that nobody yet knows for sure whether it will happen, or in what form.
A spokesman for Marketing Manchester confirmed the conference is worth around £32m to the city’s economy, particularly the hospitality trade in the city centre. One Labour MP said Greater Manchester members were ‘reticent’ about voting to block Tory conference as a result.
Conference is due to kick off at Manchester Central on Sunday, in a four-day event that attracts thousands of delegates to the city’s hotels, bars, shops and restaurants.
However in the wake of Tuesday’s court judgement, MPs have been recalled to the House of Commons and a vote is likely to be required today in order to allow a short recess so Tory conference can take place.
Asked about that on the BBC’s Today programme, Jeremy Corbyn said: “I don’t see why Boris Johnson and his team should be able to run away from accountability yet again.”
But one MP said Labour’s position was still being worked out, while several suggested that even if Labour did move to stop it taking place, the Tories could operate a skeleton team in Westminster while most MPs go to Manchester.
Manchester council leader Sir Richard Leese said there would be a real impact on the city’s economy if conference doesn’t go ahead.
“City centre businesses have preordered food for people, for example, and if it doesn’t take place it’s them that gets hit, not the Tories,” he said.
“I think there are going to be lots and lots of businesses, particularly in the city centre, that are likely to face quite significant losses if Tory party conference doesn’t go ahead.”
The council’s Lib Dem leader, John Leech, also raised concerns, tweeting: “I’m all for f-ing over the Tories at every opportunity but I am concerned about the impact that cancelling their conference will have on local businesses in Manchester.” The Midland Hotel, one of many venues to have prepared itself for Tory conference