Security measures have already been set up in Manchester city centre ahead of the upcoming Conservative party conference, which takes place here next week.
A large police presence – including some armed officers and sniffer dogs – is already patrolling and cordons are in place around the venue, the Manchester Central Convention Complex.
The surrounding area has also been given a bit of a face lift, with maintenance staff out pressure-washing the streets.
A huge number of people will descend on Manchester at a difficult moment for the party, especially in such a major northern city, given the hot debate over the levelling up agenda.
The conference takes place from Sunday 1 October to Wednesday 4 October.
What is it?
Each political party holds a multi-day conference each autumn to decide the direction of party policy and raise funds from important donors.
The conference will outline key policies ahead of the general election next year, hold debates, and culminate in PM Rishi Sunak’s keynote speech.
Key issues
The state of the economy, interest rates and inflation will certainly be on the agenda, as will the uncertain fate of the Birmingham to Manchester leg of HS2.
Some Tory MPs want Sunak to delay a decision on whether to cancel the controversial and expensive plan until after the conference is over.
Many worry that the furore over it will overshadow Sunak’s attempt to lay out the government’s plan for the 2024 election and win over voters.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and other pro-HS2 campaigners are billing it as a major test of the government’s commitment to levelling up.
Sunak has written in his preview of the conference that he is “determined… to make the difficult decisions that are needed to ready this country for the challenges ahead – no matter how difficult or unpopular they are”.
It suggests that some more U-turns, especially on net zero commitments and cost of living measures, are in the pipeline.
Who else will be there?
Senior Tory ministers will attend and hold speeches across the four days of the conference.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman will appear at only one event, which will be keenly analysed for any potential challenges to the PM and the official Tory line.
Ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss will also appear, as part of her drive to rehabilitate her political career, but runs the risk of worsening divisions within the party and grassroots over the right way forward for the economy.
How will Manchester react?
The 2019 Conservative Party conference in Manchester was greeted by anti-Brexit and anti-austerity demonstrations, and other anti-government protests are sure to take shape this time around.
Posters have appeared around Manchester demanding action on the climate crisis – particularly since the revelations of withdrawals from key climate commitments – and support for refugees, in a rejection of the Conservatives’ ‘stop the boats’ mantra.
The People’s Assembly has organised a march through the city on the conference’s opening day, from All Saints Park to a rally at Castlefield Arena in the afternoon.
Several sections of major roads will close during the conference, and parking bays will also be closed along the protest route, including Deansgate and Whitworth Street West, according to the police.
Train strikes are also likely to disrupt the event. Members of the Aslef union will strike for 24 hours on Saturday 30 September and Wednesday 4 October, meaning very few national rail services will run on either side of the conference.
