Champagne was delivered for the annual Conservative Party conference this week, yet Prosecco has been served in “most areas”, says attendee. Boxes of fizz, including Champagne Pommery, were photographed being delivered to the Midland Hotel in Manchester, the host-city for the annual Tory party conference, in preparation for the event. Security staff were spotted checking over the boxes of Champagne ahead of the summit, which lasts from Sunday 1 October to Wednesday 4 October. However, according to a report in London’s Evening Standard newspaper, inside the conference Champagne has mysteriously been replaced by Prosecco “in most places”. “There was even none at the chairman’s suite bash,” said a source present at the event. So far, reviews of the conference have described the atmosphere as being like “a wake” or “ghost town”, with a “funeral” or “fin d’une époque” feel. In 2009, Champagne was banned from the annual Conservative party conference to avoid displays of wealth while the UK grappled with a cost-of-living crisis. But by 2011 the French sparkling wine was being served again. Keeping Champagne less visible at this year’s party conference may relate to accusations made last month by Labour party leader Keir Starmer, who accused Sunak of “putting Champagne drinkers ahead of school safety” by slashing duty on fizz but lowering the budget for rebuilding classrooms. “He took a choice to cut the rate in relation to Champagne and not to sign off the necessary funding for schools,” Starmer told BBC News. In August, brewers raged
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