Archive: Conferences

Boring conferences, fixed terms and a midterm sag

This was, perhaps, the most boring conference season of modern times. And the coalition's constitutional reform agenda has been at least partly to blame.

Parties face conference backlash

Conference diary: 2012 was much of a muchness

'Insult' added to fixed-term parliament bill

Conference preview: Nervy Lib Dems gather in Birmingham

Nick Clegg will need to do a lot of reaching out in Birmingham

After 500 days in government, Liberal Democrats have even more reason to feel uncertain now than they did 12 months ago.

comments

Feature: What the Tories are really thinking

Getting inside their heads at the Birmingham 2010 Conservative conference

Grassroots Conservatives are approaching the coalition with cautious optimism, at best. Most are filled with anxiety about saving their party from the Liberal Democrats.

Video: David Cameron's speech

Watch David Cameron's closing speech to the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, in full.

Child benefit row threatens to overrun Tory conference

The row over cuts to child benefits for higher earners is threatening to overrun the Tory party conference, with David Cameron refusing to back down.

Hague delights Tories with Europe attack

William Hague wants Britain to reassert its independence on the world stage

William Hague won a standing ovation from Conservative party members after attacking the EU's "many faults" in his conference speech.

Cameron: 'Your country needs you'

Tough message: Cameron at the Tory party conference

David Cameron has called on Conservatives to work together to improve British society saying: "Your country needs you".

Video: Cameron wraps up his conference speech

Hague speech in full

William Hague's speech to the Tory party conference, in full.

Hunt looks to schools Olympics

Jeremy Hunt wants to engage children in the build-up to the 2012 Olympics

Schoolchildren up and down Britain will be encouraged to take part in a nationwide schools Olympics event culminating before the main event of 2012, Jeremy Hunt has said.

David Cameron speech in full

David Cameron speaks to the Conservative conference in Birmingham

Read the full text of David Cameron's speech to the Conservative conference.

Sketch: Subdued Cameron turns down the volume

David Cameron gave a muted performance to delegates in Birmingham

David Cameron's quiet delivery was to blame for the lack of spark which wrapped up his party's conference in Birmingham.

David Cameron speech: Reaction

Follow reaction to David Cameron's speech

Follow all the reaction to David Cameron's speech to the Conservative conference in Birmingham on politics.co.uk.

Comment: Cameron speech was misjudged and false

It's amazing that such a talented politician can so misjudge a major speech. The simple reason is: he's picking the wrong victims.

May bottles 24-hour licensing overhaul

24-hour licensing is here to stay - despite Theresa May's rhetoric

Theresa May's pledge to 'tear up' Labour's 24-hour drinking Licensing Act quickly unravelled today after it emerged pubs and clubs would still be able to open 24 hours a day.

Clarke sidesteps Tory justice jitters

Clarke has pursued a liberal justice policy since entering government

Ken Clarke has avoided the anger of Tory members frustrated with his criminal justice policies in a bullish speech to the party's conference.

Cameron defends child benefit cut

Child benefit cuts will hit high-earning parents from 2013

David Cameron sought to shake off middle-class anger by defending the government's decision to cut child benefit for high earners.

Civil liberties in the spotlight

Civil liberties campaigners approve of Ms May's stint in the Home Office

Theresa May will explain the government's civil liberties agenda to Tory members today when she addresses the party conference in Birmingham.

Hospital discharged get cash boost

Andrew Lansley wants to cut hospital readmissions

People leaving hospital will be able to receive help and support as they settle back into their new homes, Andrew Lansley has announced.

Comment: The reform of the Tory soul

A cross-party alliance and Labour's costly authoritarianism are genuinely changing the Tory party.

Boris demands new anti-strike law

Tory party delegates enjoyed a typical Boris performance at conference today

Boris Johnson has demanded new anti-strike legislation to make it harder for workers to engage in industrial action, as the London Underground is again brought to a halt.

Osborne steals the limelight with benefits crackdown

Osborne recieved an enthusiastic response from the audience in Birmingham

Benefit payments to individual families will be capped at the average income, George Osborne has announced.

Tories braced for Boris

Boris Johnson walked on last year to the EastEnders theme

Conservative party members are waiting with bated breath to see whether London mayor Boris Johnson rocks the boat in his speech to the party conference.