Conservative Party confirms conference will go ahead this week

Boris Johnson suffered a major defeat after the Supreme Court ruling
AP
Rebecca Speare-Cole24 September 2019
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The Conservative Party has confirmed its autumn conference will go ahead this week, despite MPs being dramatically told to return to Parliament tomorrow.

The conference is scheduled for Sunday until Wednesday, when the party will gather in Manchester for the four-day event.

But the plans were thrown into disarray after the Supreme Court ruled that Boris Johnson's prorogation of Parliament was void.

Speaker John Bercow then ordered MPs to return to Parliament tomorrow.

Boris Johnson pictured today in the US
AP

But Tory Chairman James Cleverly said in a tweet on Tuesday that the conference would go ahead.

He wrote: "Lib Dems used their conference to say they would revoke article 50.

Conservative MP James Cleverly arrives at 10 Downing Street (File Photo)
Getty Images

“Lab used theirs to decide not to decide their view on Brexit.

“We’ll use ours to set out our positive vision for the country outside the EU.

“Of cource #CPC19 is going ahead – look forward to seeing you all in MCR.”

It comes as Mr Johnson suffered a major defeat when the Supreme Court ruled that proroguing parliament was unlawful, prompting calls for him to resign.

The PM will travel back early from his visit to the UN in New York to arrive in time for Parliament sitting at 11:30am tomorrow morning.

While Labour, SNP, Green, Plaid Cymru or Liberal Democrat conferences are an important part of each party’s policy and rulemaking processes, the Tory conference has no constitutional functions while the party is in power.

However, it still has important benefits for the Conservatives to lay out their political vision.

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