Conference season commences

As the leaves fall, members of several national and local political parties will be gathering for their annual conferences this autumn.  Labour’s Northern Ireland members will discuss how to combat youth unemployment at fringe event at the Jury’s Inn Hotel, in Manchester, on the evening of 2 October.  A Northern Ireland Conservative Party reception (sponsored by the Federation of Small Businesses) will take place at Birmingham’s Hyatt Regency Hotel at 5pm on 8 October.

The Ulster Unionist, SDLP and DUP conferences will be major events in the local political calendar.  Mike Nesbitt will address his first UUP conference as party leader while Alasdair McDonnell will mark his first anniversary in charge of the SDLP.  Green Party members will hold a smaller event and details of the TUV conference are due to be confirmed in September.

All local conferences are likely to become increasingly policy-focused as the new Assembly continues with its programme.

Separately, the Trades Union Congress will set the agenda for British trade unions with members in Northern Ireland and left-wing opposition to spending cuts.  ICTU representatives will be attending the congress in Brighton on 9-12 September.

* Provisional