An email pings in to The Voice’s inbox to say:

Which? is producing supplements for this year’s party conferences, providing people with a one-stop guide to surviving Bournemouth, Brighton and Manchester…

In the build up to the next General Election, it’s important that the consumer voice is heard as each party develops its policies. All 45 million voters are also consumers, so each supplement includes the issues Which? wants to see on the political agenda – from better protection for savings to simpler energy bills and access to good quality dental care.

Michelle Smyth, public affairs manager at Which? says:

“With a general election looming, the 2009 party conferences are key events in the political calendar. But if you’re not well prepared, you may miss the best fringe meetings or end up eating stale sandwiches for four days.

“People think that consumer rights can be complicated but really, this guide shows that whether you need a curry in a hurry or advice on getting compensation for delayed trains, everyone wants value for money and to be treated fairly.”

The guide itself is available electronically – online or as a 24 page pdf here – and contains the sage advice:

If you are on a tight budget, party conference week is an easy opportunity to eat and drink at someone else’s expense, though this might well entail a lot of poor quality hotel sandwiches.

It also contains a section I hope you don’t have to use: useful information on your legal rights if a restaurant makes a meal of your meal (gosh, I should be a headline writer).