The party conference season is a landmark moment when the biggest beasts in politics and some of the leading names in business and culture converge on a city and boost the local economy by millions.

Hopes have soared that Newport will host one of the major UK conferences now that work is underway on the £83.7m International Convention Centre Wales by the Celtic Manor Resort.

The Celtic Manor hosted President Obama and other world leaders for the 2014 Nato summit and Welsh leadership candidates have pledged to work to convince their parties to hold the landmark UK conference at the ICC.

Jeremy Corbyn at last year's conference in Brighton

Liverpool hosted Labour’s autumn gathering in 2016 and the city benefited from an economic uplift estimated at £17m. The conference attracted 11,000 people - thousands of whom spent money in local bars, restaurants and hotels.

International ambassadors, journalists from around the world and representatives of some of the biggest global companies, plus thousands of campaigners and party supporters, would come to the ICC if it was chosen as the venue, creating a rare opportunity to boost the profile of Wales.

Vaughan Gething wants to bring the 'Labour family' to its heartland

Cardiff South and Penarth's Vaughan Gething AM

Welsh Labour leadership contender Vaughan Gething wants Wales to win a slice of that action.

He said: “If elected I will be pushing hard for the party to bring the national annual conference to the Welsh ICC. What better tribute to this important investment than to bring our Labour family back to its heartland, to celebrate our heritage and achievements as a political movement.”

The last time Newport hosted the annual Labour conference was in 1910

Newport West Labour MP Paul Flynn wants his city to host the UK conference

Newport West Labour MP Paul Flynn argues it is time for a return visit.

He said: “It’s always easy to start a fire on an old hearth so it’s good territory to have a conference... Delegates can get their spiritual refreshment by staring out across the glorious fields of Gwent towards England on the far side...

“They’ll find it very inspiring.”

Mark Drakeford, seen by many as the frontrunner in the Welsh Labour leadership contest, said: “The new convention centre at the Celtic Manor represents a major investment. It would always be great to welcome a national Labour Party conference to Wales.”

A conference would raise the profile of Wales within the UK's biggest parties

Eluned Morgan Labour AM for Mid and West Wales and Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning.
Eluned Morgan doesn't want to see the chance to host a conference slip away

Welsh Labour leadership contender Eluned Morgan was adamant this was an opportunity to grasp.

The Mid and West Wales AM said: “I think it would be a wonderful idea. If we’ve got any possibility of hosting the Labour party conference in Wales then we should grab it...

“We are one of the few places in Britain where Labour’s in control and in government so we could really then use it as a platform to showcase what difference Labour can make in government.”

Comedian Simon Brodkin, also known as Lee Nelson confronts Prime Minister Theresa May during her keynote speech at the Conservative Party Conference
Simon Brodkin interrupted Prime Minister Theresa May during her keynote speech at last year's Conservative party Conference in Manchester

Huw Irranca-Davies, who is also in the running to succeed Carwyn Jones, said that if he wins the Welsh leadership he would urge the UK leader to consider the venue as a location if it could accommodate an event of this scale.

The Ogmore AM said: “I think it would be a great conversation to have in the future with the leader of UK Labour, to try and encourage them to think beyond the range of venues that they’ve traditionally used and to look at showcasing the very best of Wales.”

Support is equally strong in Conservative circles

Paul Davies AM

Paul Davies, Preseli Pembrokeshire AM and interim leader of the Conservatives in the Assembly, said: “I would absolutely love the Conservative party to hold its UK conference in Wales and the new development at the Celtic Manor in Newport makes this a realistic prospect.

“The Celtic Manor has already hosted many prestigious events over the years including the Ryder Cup and Nato Summit, but the opportunity to bring major conferences to Newport would be a great benefit for the wider economy in South East Wales.”

The potential for a UK Tory conference has already been discussed

Suzy Davies has met with ICC staff

His rival candidate for the leadership, Suzy Davies, recently attended a cross-party meeting of AMs with ICC staff.

The South Wales West AM said: “The opportunity for the UK Conservative party conference to be hosted at the facility in Newport was discussed as part of the meeting and it is a very exciting prospect. I have already talked about how we need to make the Conservative party more accessible to our members and this would be an excellent way of doing that.

“If it helps showcase the strengths of devolved nations within the UK understand, all the better.”

Monmouth Conservative MP David Davies, the chairman of the Welsh Affairs committee, also gave his strong support, saying: “I think it’s an excellent idea and I would strongly support it. I think as a party we need to be reaching out to all parts of the United Kingdom and this is a brilliant opportunity to go and showcase our message in Wales.

“It’s been suggested to me it would make a good venue... It would be great for the local economy, and good for the party – just good all round.

Here's what the ICC's chief executive said:

Ian Edwards, the chief executive of the ICC and the Celtic Manor Resort said: “ICC Wales is keen to bring as many events as possible to the region – which could include party conferences – to help boost economic growth and put Wales on the map for business events. We talk to a wide range of event organisers from all over the world on a daily basis and will always put forward the best case possible for Wales as a great business events destination.”

Barack Obama at the Nato Summit held at Newport's Celtic Manor

Earlier this year, Mr Edwards said Wales’ share of the meetings industry market came to just £350m. This contrasts with the major role that events such as conferences play in the economies of other UK regions.

Manchester, which regularly hosts both Labour and Conservative conferences, was boosted by a reported £810m through business tourism in 2015, supporting 21,900 direct jobs.

Conferences also attract protests, such as this anti-austerity march in Birmingham where the Conservatives were gathered in 2016

Key attractions for the ICC include its close proximity to the M4, with drivers soon to be spared the Severn Crossing tolls, and the prospect of shorter journey times as a result of Great Western electrification.

Debbie Wilcox, the leader of Newport's council and the Welsh Local Government Association, said: “I am not in a position to comment in any official capacity for Labour or indeed Welsh Labour, but as the leader of Newport City Council I would welcome any substantial business for the new conference centre and would be delighted to show my many colleagues from across the Labour family the regeneration of our city.”