Tickets for Labour conference ‘business day’ sold out in hours

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Labour has sold out its party conference “business day” in under 24 hours, after a “Glastonbury-style” rush saw 500 top executives pay £3,000 for a ticket.

The high demand for access to the event, where business leaders will rub shoulders with potential future government ministers, reflects the opposition party’s strong lead in the polls.

“Getting a ticket to Labour Business Day has become the corporate equivalent of going to Glastonbury,” said Tim Snowball, head of public affairs at MHP Group, referring to the rush to secure a spot every year at one of the world’s biggest music festivals. Sir Keir Starmer’s party had increased prices of the cheapest tickets by more than 50 per cent from last year.

Admission for the event in Liverpool in late September went on sale at 2pm on Tuesday and had sold out within 24 hours, Labour officials said, raising more than £1mn for party funds ahead of a possible autumn general election.

One lobbyist joked: “I was told that if I didn’t get two tickets I’d be out of a job. I went online at 2pm but it was nerve-racking.”

Last year 200 business people attended the event at the party’s annual conference, paying between £1,620 and £2,100 plus VAT. This year Labour organisers more than doubled the capacity and any company attending will have to pay £2,500 before VAT. 

The business day will give attendees access to “key Labour politicians” at a “networking business lunch” and a drinks reception, according to promotional materials, with tickets limited to two per company.

The event will also feature “in conversation” and Q&A events with Starmer, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves and shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

Interest in Starmer’s plans for government, especially the economy, has grown sharply in business circles as the election approaches with Labour maintaining an average 20-point lead over the ruling Conservatives in the polls in recent months.

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Although relations are generally cordial, business leaders have concerns about some areas of policy, such as workers rights reforms, a crackdown on private equity tax breaks and new rules for non-doms.

Labour said attendees at the business day would include executives from a range of sectors, including financial services, life sciences, tech, energy and retail.

“We are really pleased that so many businesses are interested in hearing about our policies and working with Labour to achieve better results for the UK economy,” said Reynolds.

“We are serious about working hand in glove with business because we know that we can only grow our economy, create good jobs and provide better public services when business and government work side by side.”

Labour raised almost £400,000 from corporate Britain for a business conference held at the Oval cricket ground in London in February; that event saw 400 tickets sold at £995 each within four hours.

The Conservatives said corporate interest in their party conference in Birmingham in late September was also up on last year, despite its poor standing in the polls.

The party said some FTSE 100 companies that had not previously attended had registered for the event. Commercial space for the event was now 85 per cent-booked and hotel reservations were up 30 per cent.