It’s the emptiness that hits you first. In Conservative Party conferences of recent past, the vast, cathedral-like cavern that is the Manchester Central Convention Complex has been packed to the rafters, becoming (in keeping with the city’s emblem) a frenzied humming beehive of activity for three days. But now there is space to breathe, to sit, to charge a laptop or take a phone call. The exhibition hall, usually crammed with corporate and charity stalls jostling cheek-by-jowl, is an eerie wasteland, the few stands that have made it this year lone rocks looming out of the barren landscape. I am told by one party faithful that the deserted vibe is down to unlucky logistics. The MCCC is such a huge venue, even a small drop in attendance is noticeable. Had the Tories not been tied to an existing contract they could have booked a more modest conference centre, and it would not be so obvious just how much smaller this gathering is. Yet the contrast to previous years – even 2024, the party’s first conference in opposition in a decade and a half – is so dramatic attendees are suffering a kind of culture shock.
Published: October 6, 2025 3:29 pm
Source: New Statesman — Read original