As the summer draws to a close, MPs, councillors and party members across the country gather to listen to their leader’s headline act – the big speech that fires up the crowd and gets everyone talking.

The party conference season is a unique opportunity to engage with politicians and policy makers both formally and informally, ranging from national decision makers to influential local authority figures. This year represents the most significant opportunity for engagement in recent history, as all parties look to the future following months of political drama.

It’s hard to believe that only a year ago David Cameron, fresh from general election victory and with the first Conservative majority in 20 years, pledged to the country that he would “finish the job” of eliminating the deficit and completing the economic recovery. “We are the builders” declared George Osborne, then favourite to be the next prime minister.

How times have changed.

Cameron: gone. Osborne: gone. Farage: gone. Only Tim Farron, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, survives as leader of his party. The winner of Labour’s leadership election, Jeremy Corbyn or Owen Smith, will be revealed during the conference itself. And Theresa May will take the podium as the country’s second female Prime Minister, having wielded the axe on Cameron’s so called Notting Hill set in arguably the most ruthless cull in modern political history.

It could be a conference season for the ages. Brexit and its implications for the country’s future, businesses and the economy, will dominate all three conferences. As the party in power, the Conservative Conference will afford a fascinating insight into what we can expect from May’s new government and her vision for the country. From jobs to house building, immigration to taxation, expect the most radical speech from a Tory prime minister since John Major described his dream of a classless society.

And Labour? Some Labour MPs are already considering a separate parliamentary grouping and launching a legal challenge to win control of the party name if Corbyn wins the leadership again. Theresa May will certainly be keeping a close eye on the result and might conclude that she will never have a better chance to try and call a snap election. The Labour Party conference will be an opportunity to gage what new eye-catching policies the official opposition will be putting forwards over the next parliament as it fights to regain voters’ trust.

Against this febrile backdrop, the Liberal Democrats have been enjoying a quiet rise following their post-election nadir last year. The party claims that fifteen thousand new members have joined since the referendum result, marking a ten year high for the party as Farron pledges to restore the UK’s membership of the EU. Is the much vaunted Lib Dem fightback here to stay?

Party conferences still play a critical role in political life. Newington consultants will be at all three of the party conferences, starting with the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton from 17 to 20 September. This is followed by the Labour Party conference in Liverpool from 25 to 28 September. The Conservative Party conference will take place in Birmingham from 2 to 5 October.

Why not join us there? We can help to guide your approach in order to identify the right meetings and events to help you and your business make the most of the conference experience. Our depth of political knowledge means we are best placed to help you put together a strategy to help you achieve your communications objectives.

Want to know more? Please contact Phil Briscoe, Managing Director of Newington.