Labour cancels formal spring conference

The Labour party has cancelled its spring conference next year in favour of a series of meetings and consultations around the country.

General secretary Peter Watt said the change, which will also see the party engage in online discussions about policy, would allow Labour to involve more members.

The February conference normally involves about 3,000 people and includes the same arrangement of set-piece speeches and formal debates as the autumn event. It was due to be held in Glasgow next year.

Mr Watt said he was "very excited" about the new project, which Labour officials said would engage government ministers councillors, party members and supporters.

But the move is likely to be viewed in part as a money-saving exercise – Labour is currently £27 million in debt. At the annual conference last week, treasurer Jack Dromey said the party's financial affairs were not in crisis "but it is serious nonetheless".

"We have to live within our means, rebuild on a focus on growing membership and fundraising, and we need to reinvigorate the party at the grassroots level," he said.

Labour officials are hoping to involve more members in the conference process by increasing the use of bloggers and podcasts and of the "interactive party" online. On the Labour party website, members can give their views on key issues of the day.

"The Labour party has always led the way in reforming its structures and outreach to involve the largest possible number of people in policy making," Mr Watt said.

"This new approach will allow us to involve the greatest ever number of party members and supporters in the preparation of what will become our next manifesto."

Labour's new love of technology reflects a similar shift among the Conservatives – at their party conference this week, delegates could vote on debates using interactive keypads, or text in their views to be shown on the screen in the main hall.

Leader David Cameron has also launched his own video diary at webcameron.org.uk, where he is shown discussing policy while loading the dishes.

Unfortunately he has already fallen foul of one of the main pitfalls of the internet – the UK Independence Party (Ukip) has registered the site webcameron.info, where viewers are shown a video noting the strong similarities between Mr Cameron and Tony Blair.