Comments on: Party Conferences: Of no useful consequence? http://www.leyton.org/2007/09/26/party-conferences-of-no-useful-consequence/ Thoughts. Comment. Opinion. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:55:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Richard http://www.leyton.org/2007/09/26/party-conferences-of-no-useful-consequence/#comment-21028 Richard Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:27:56 +0000 http://www.leyton.org/diary/2007/09/26/party-conferences-of-no-useful-consequence/#comment-21028 <p>I've just come across this link at the BBC, which answers at least the 'Why always in the same place?':</p> <p>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6993552.stm</p> <p>Worth a read if you're perplexed, as I am, by it all.</p> I’ve just come across this link at the BBC, which answers at least the ‘Why always in the same place?’:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6993552.stm

Worth a read if you’re perplexed, as I am, by it all.

]]> By: Janet http://www.leyton.org/2007/09/26/party-conferences-of-no-useful-consequence/#comment-21023 Janet Wed, 26 Sep 2007 12:53:20 +0000 http://www.leyton.org/diary/2007/09/26/party-conferences-of-no-useful-consequence/#comment-21023 <p>Have you ever tried organising a conference? I have - and it's not easy. Admittedly I had only about 2 dozen delegates but they were from 13 countries! Even so finding a venue at the right time that has the right facilities at the right price can be tricky. Obviously the seaside resorts have had the practice from previous years to take a lot of the strain out of the Party Conferences for both delegates and suppliers, and I imagine the accommodation available is cheap enough not to put off the humblest party members from attending should they wish. I agree with you though about the order issue and that the whole business is driven by ritual rather than utility. However, I suspect there will be some legal requirement for each party to have an A.G.M which will have been the original raisond'etre for the conferences, and if these have to take place within 12 months of the last, it makes it difficult to change the order without bringing them all forward and into the summer season. Which is roughly where we came in!</p> Have you ever tried organising a conference? I have - and it’s not easy. Admittedly I had only about 2 dozen delegates but they were from 13 countries! Even so finding a venue at the right time that has the right facilities at the right price can be tricky. Obviously the seaside resorts have had the practice from previous years to take a lot of the strain out of the Party Conferences for both delegates and suppliers, and I imagine the accommodation available is cheap enough not to put off the humblest party members from attending should they wish. I agree with you though about the order issue and that the whole business is driven by ritual rather than utility. However, I suspect there will be some legal requirement for each party to have an A.G.M which will have been the original raisond’etre for the conferences, and if these have to take place within 12 months of the last, it makes it difficult to change the order without bringing them all forward and into the summer season. Which is roughly where we came in!

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