LABOUR’s annual party conference has been cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis, it was announced yesterday.

The conference was due to be held in Liverpool from September 19-23, and would have been Sir Keir Starmer’s first as Labour leader.

It will now be replaced with online events.

A Labour Party spokeswoman said: “Our priority is the safety of members, staff and visitors to our events and the need to protect the public’s health.

“In light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we have therefore decided to postpone this year’s annual and women’s conferences.”

Writing for the Labour List website, the party’s National Executive Committee member Alice Perry said: “This is a shame but necessary. 

“Hopefully life will be back to normal in 2021.”

The Greens have said that it is “looking highly unlikely” that their conference planned for Birmingham in October will go ahead, and that they are looking at holding an online conference.

Liberal Democrat officials have recommended that their autumn conference be switched to a virtual version.

The Conservative Party has said that planning for their conference is still under way but being regularly reviewed.