Briefing: Police: Price of party political dialogue

Policing for the Opposition's party conference this year cost more than that of the party in Government, the Home Office disclosed yesterday.

In a Commons written reply, Home Office Minister of State Alun Michael said the cost of policing the Tory conference at Blackpool last month was an estimated pounds 2.5-pounds 3m, while the estimated cost of policing the Labour conference at Brighton was pounds 2m. The Lancashire and Sussex forces were each given pounds 750,000 in extra government funding as a contribution toward the additional costs, said the minister.

He disclosed that policing costs for the Liberal Democrats' conference at Eastbourne - expressed as additional overtime, transport and accommodation costs - was nil.