Big business steers clear of taking stalls at conference

Business chiefs who flocked to take stalls at past Labour conferences have failed to do so this year.

BAe Systems, Nestlé, BAA and a string of other blue-chip firms are not exhibiting in the hall in Manchester. Instead, the conference complex is filled with charities, campaign groups and Labour-linked organisations.

Just over 20 private firms or lobby groups for companies are present, including the Nuclear Industry Association, the Royal Mail and O2. The pattern appears to followthe decline in business exhibitors experienced by the Tories ahead of Tony Blair's victory in 1997.

Back then, nearly 50 of the 127 stalls at Labour's annual rally in Brighton were from the private sector. The conference corporate scene expanded in later years and, at one Labour conference, the stalls spilled into a second hotel. Labour says it has raised more sponsorship and has sold more exhibition hall stands than last year.