The Labour Party has confirmed Manchester as the venue of its 2012 and 2014 annual conferences.
 
These events, which are in additional to the 2010 conference that has already been awarded to Manchester, follow the city's success at hosting Labour's spring conference in 2004, their annual conferences in 2006 and 2008 and the leadership election in 2007.
 
When coupled with the past Conservative Party conferences in 2009 and 2011, there are now five major political party events scheduled to take place in the city over the next five years.
 
Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: "Manchester has firmly established itself as a world class conference destination. The return of the Labour Party Conference is testament both to the successful hosting of previous events and our focus on improving facilities to ensure they stay among the very best in Europe. Attracting prominent conferences such as this brings to our city not only prestige but real, measurable benefits through visitor spending, job creation and investment. This is an extremely welcome announcement."
 
Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, the agency charged with promoting the city on a national and international stage, said: "Securing these events is no easy feat. It's thanks to such a strong city-wide partnership that we're able to be so successful in this field. This partnership includes Manchester Central, which has now firmly established itself as the premier venue for political conferencing in the country, Greater Manchester Police and Manchester City Council. The economic impact of these two conferences is expected to be in excess of £35 million."
 
Lesley Tomlinson, chief executive of Manchester Central, said: "Political conferences bring huge benefits to the city and the region and securing a further two is testimony to the strength of "Team Manchester".  Today's marvellous news highlights the importance of the investment in Manchester Central, as it is only by having a world-class venue that we can secure multi-year conferences as significant as this."
Watch this space for the confirmed dates of the conference, discouted accommodation rates offered to My-Places subscribers