The Labour Party is to stage its party conference in Brighton and Hove in 2005.

It will be the last at the Brighton Centre before the 5,000-seat conference hall is closed for renovation.

Hove Labour MP Ivor Caplin said today: "This is excellent news for conference trade across the city.

"It will be the fifth Labour conference held here in nine years."

He praised the conference industry in the city and said: "We have outbid other resorts for the biggest conference in Britain."

Deputy Brighton and Hove City Council leader Sue John, who has responsibility for tourism, said: "I'm a delighted Labour is coming here in 2005 and the city will welcome the party."

Although there are only about 3,000 delegates, there is always intense interest in the party of government and the conference can attract up to 28,000 people.

It also has huge hidden benefits to Brighton and Hove in the free publicity it brings to the resort.

Tories have not been to Brighton since 1992 and this year cut back on the number of hours for debate when their conference was at Blackpool.

Liberal Democrats are regular visitors to Brighton and Hove, although their conference is slightly smaller.

It is possible a general election will have been held by the time the 2005 conference is staged and there is no guarantee Labour will still be in power then.