Countdown to conference

Final preparations are underway ahead of the North West Labour Party conference returning to Blackpool this weekend.

The conference, which runs from Friday until Sunday at The Imperial Hotel, North Promenade, sees the party return to the resort for the fourth year in a row.

More than 500 delegates, including a raft of the UK’s most influential politicians including Labour party leader, Ed Miliband and Deputy Leader, Harriet Harman, will attend along with fellow front-benchers Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Ivan Lewis.

Mr Burnham, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health, will open the conference while Jack Straw is the speaker at the Conference Dinner on Friday evening.

Cllr Graham Cain, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for tourism and leisure, said he was delighted to welcome the party back to the resort.

He said: “This is the fourth year in a row the North West Labour Party conference has come back to Blackpool.

“We’re very pleased to be welcoming the delegates back to the resort.

“There’s always a real buzz around the town when we attract big conferences and this will be no different.”

Business tourism in Blackpool represents an average of £44 million in economic benefit to businesses in the resort each year.

In recent years Blackpool has seen major investment to regenerate the resort, including a huge transformation of the Promenade, the creation of a new Central Business District, significant investment in the Winter Gardens and Blackpool Tower and the creation of a host of other new features including new attractions, Illuminasia and the Comedy Carpet.

A spokesperson for Labour North West said, “We always receive a warm welcome in Blackpool. We are delighted to be returning this year for what is an important Conference ahead of the General Election next year. As well as policy debate, training and speeches, we will be taking our campaign for the future of the NHS to the streets of Blackpool.”