UKIP chooses Birmingham for 2012 Annual Conference

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) is to stage its 2012 Annual Conference in Birmingham from 20 – 22 September.

Birmingham Town Hall

The city is expected to host 900 delegates across the three-day conference, contributing over £800,000 to the local economy. The event, to be held at the city’s Town Hall, further cements Birmingham’s credentials as the UK’s meeting place for political parties – the city will have welcomed an unprecedented nine conferences in five years by the end of 2012.

This year’s conference will also include a training day for delegates on 20 September and a gala dinner the following evening.

Meet Birmingham, the official business tourism programme for the city, is facilitating the conference through the Birmingham Convention Bureau (BCB). Services provided by BCB include accommodation booking, the creation of a dedicated web page offering a range of exclusive discounts across Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull and assistance with the party’s fringe events.

Ian Taylor, Commercial Director at Marketing Birmingham, the city’s strategic marketing partnership which operates BCB, said: “Birmingham consistently delivers successful events, which is why it remains one of the busiest and most popular UK destinations in the conferencing sector, particularly for political parties.

“Our recent track record of hosting events of this nature is unparalleled and is a tribute to the sustained hard work of our many conference venues, accommodation, restaurants and transport providers, who showcase the city and its excellent facilities at their very best.”

A number of guest speakers will address delegates at the conference, including Wolfson Prize-winning economist Roger Bootle and broadcaster and songwriter Mike Read.

Steve Crowther, Executive Chairman of UKIP, said: “We’re delighted to be visiting Birmingham for our National Conference this year, as the Party continues to rise in the polls and has enjoyed our best ever performance in the local elections this year. The West Midlands is critical to building a prosperous future for the UK as an independent nation.

“The Town Hall in Birmingham is a wonderful building in a spectacular location at the heart of the city, enabling our members from all over the country to gain easy access. The Birmingham Convention Bureau have been extremely helpful in helping us make the arrangements, and all the accommodation and facilities are of a very high standard. I’m sure our members will have a great stay and enjoy all that Birmingham has to offer, as well as the Conference itself, which will be our biggest and best to date.”

Catherine McGlone, Commercial Manager at Town Hall and Symphony Hall, said: “Throughout its 178 year history, Birmingham’s Town Hall has been used for many high profile political events and debates so it is fitting that we are able to continue the tradition by hosting a party political conference at the venue in September. By offering world class facilities and a dedicated event team we aim to ensure the event is a resounding success.”

For more details on Birmingham’s conference and event offering, visit www.meetbirmingham.com