The Labour Party conference will be coming back to Brighton and Hove in autumn 2004.

Getting the conference back amid increasing competition represents a major coup for the city.

Labour came to Brighton and Hove for 2000 and again last year, when the conference was shortened following the September 11 attacks on the USA.

The party was already booked into Blackpool and then Bournemouth for the conferences this year and in 2003.

Hove Labour MP Ivor Caplin said: "This will be the third Labour conference in the city in five years. We are delighted the party is coming back.

"It is an important and significant decision by Labour."

Council leader Ken Bodfish said: "This is fantastic news. We have been working in partnership with the hotels and the police to bring the conference to the city again and I am delighted to welcome it back.

"This conference is so important to the city's economy. It brings in 20,000 visitors, delegates and traders and puts £5 million into the economy."

City conference and tourism head Amanda Shepherd said every effort was being made to woo back the Conservatives, who have not been to Brighton and Hove for ten years.

She said: "We are still talking to them about bringing back their annual conference and hope they will return within the next few years.

"We are holding dates in the diary but don't have any firm news at the moment."

This year's political visitors to Brighton and Hove will be the Liberal Democrats in September.