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Strangling the modernisers

Another sign the new Conservatives are dead. A spy tells me he has just seen Francis Maude - until July party chair and the uber moderniser's uber moderniser - wearing a tie

A plea for attention?

Theresa May appeared on stage after William Hague's speech wearing these boots with a leopard picture on the side, presumably angling once again to secure newspaper coverage through her footwear.

The Tory press office say she will not actually be needing them until Tuesday, when she takes part in the Tories' gardening project. A desperate move?

Temper temper

In private, some Tories will refer to David Cameron's tendency to, in the words of one person who has worked with him, "lose it". There was a brief display of his anger this morning when he was confronted with the Daily Mirror's Tory tormentor in chief, Kevin Maguire during BBC One's Sunday AM.

According to Maguire, Cameron was horrified to find it would have to share a sofa with the Mirror hack, who greeted him "Comrade Cameron". He apparently insisted a BBC flunky find a separate chair and exiled Maguire off the sofa.

Tory party power failure

It fell to William Hague to rescue a rather calamitous opening of the Tory conference by reaching for the activists' absent heroine. "You [Gordon] may fawn now at the feet of our greatest Prime Minister, but you are no Margaret Thatcher," he cried, to at least 15 seconds applause (significantly longer than his cry for a European referendum, it must be said). How they miss her.

The audience desperately needed something to cheer about. The ghost of the Winter Gardens was in mischievous mood earlier, when the speaker system failed them, creating an echo and causing uproar on the right flank of the auditorium.

This came just moments after (the appropriately named) Simon Mort, the conference chairman, had stunned the room after he declared his job was "like losing your virginity" because you only do it once and you had to get it right. He tried to tell conference that the Tories had had a "fantastic year" but the audience shouted him down to say they couldn't hear.

The conference was duly suspended for 20 minutes, with the activists fuming in their seats while a sound check was performed. Stewards went round telling the grumpy crowd to smile and look cheery, according on one unverified report. Labour have already issued a somewhat ludicrous press release. The Tory press office blamed a power failure, perhaps not a wise idea in the current political climate.

Part of the answer lies in the way the Tories have reconfigured the auditorium of the Winter Gardens, building a set which makes the room around a third smaller, installing tiered seating and obscuring any of the its faded Victorian splendour.The other reason was more prosaic but equally unfixable: the speaker system for the sign language providers, which works slightly ahead of the speakers in the main hall, was turned up too loud.

Tories adopt Kinnock election slogan

On March 12, 1992, Neil Kinnock unveiled his new election slogan: "It's time for change." It featured on the backdrop of the first press conference at the start of the election campaign, and was intended to suggest that after three successive victories by the ruling party, the opposition should be given a chance. The rest is history.

And this morning? George Osborne reveals in an interview the Tory election slogan: "It's time for change." Of course we wouldn't dream of accusing them of "borrowing" the phrase...

Blackpool rocky

With 24 hours before the faithful gather in Blackpool for the Tory conference, there are many unknowns - not least that there may not be a proper conference at all

As I speak Downing Street is a hive of activity. At the very least, expect plenty of distractions from Number 10 while the political classes are in Blackpool.

Following the 11 point lead in Saturday's Times / Populus poll, things look grim for the Tory party and David Cameron has a huge struggle to turn things around.  But what exactly?

Here are five yardsticks by which to judge the Conservative Party conference.

1. Do they manage to put forward a convincing set of policies, after an agonising 18 months of policy indecisiveness and reconciling the work of the policy groups

2. How do they walk to tightrope of environmental concerns and lower taxes

3. Are the 'noises off' voiced in public confined to the margins or do they dominate the conference.

4. Do shadow cabinet ministers spend the whole week complaining in private to journalists. This will influence the tone of the coverage

5. Does David Cameron appear more authentic. According to YouGov, 55% think Cameron is "lightweight" compared to Gordon Brown.

The final word

Before her gushing final speech, Harriet Harman made a last ditch attempt to prevent a diplomatic bust up with a senior female colleague.

She sent a note to the chairman reminding him not to say that she was Labour's first female deputy, that accolade had gone to Margaret Beckett. Shame she couldn't spell her predecessor's name, however.

The "bonkers" delegate

  Conference is now over, having heard from a (rather dry) Harriet Harman. A note was left on the stage after everyone else had packed up and left. It was lying on the desk of the chairman, who decides which speaker to call during debates. It read:

Greg

Crime Debate

Westminster delegate -- Chinese lady, yellow top MUST NOT BE CALLED bonkers speech about gun ownership.

Thanks

Straw in tights

Have-a-go hero Straw wears tights

Jack Straw was wolf-whisled by delegates when he talked about what he will wear on state occasions - embroidered gown, frock coat, breeches, buckled shoes and silk tights. But he revealed he will be making a change when appearing at formal occasions in his role as Lord Chancellor. “Comrades, you should know that in a key step on the forward march to socialism, I am dispensing with the wig."

Early election: where do they stand?

There is clearly a Cabinet split over whether the Prime Minister should go to the country this Autumn. According to reports in this morning's newspaper, the breakdown seems to be: Ed Balls, Douglas Alexander, Ed Miliband, Ruth Kelly, James Purnell and John Hutton - go now. John Denham also hinted he was in favour of an early election, saying the polls looked "exciting". Meanwhile Alan Johnson and Geoff Hoon are more cautious. Jack Straw and Alistair Darling have yet to make their position clear.

Government responds...

This morning's Times front pages carries accusations that Gordon Brown "rehashed old phrases from Bill Clinton and Al Gore without attribution" in his first speech to Labour conference.
This follows research by my colleague Daniel Finkelstein on Comment Central.
It says there were "strong similarities in both words and structure between Monday's address and speeches" by Bob Shrum, the American political consultant.
It is worth here noting the government's reaction in full, which was given to the Press Association last night.
It filed the following: Andy Burnham last night branded the report "garbage" that had been fuelled by an "increasingly desperate Tory party".
He said: "Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne, promised in the same newspaper in 2004, that he would bring US-style negative campaigning and character attacks to British politics.
"But what he needs to understand is that the British people will never respond to the politics of insidious underhand smears."

Ed Balls stokes election fever

  A fug-clearing moment this morning on the Today programme when Gordon Brown's chief lieutenant appeared to change the official line on an October election.

Until now, Brown has insisted he is "getting on with the job" and refused to say anything about the polls. So for any government minister, nevermind mind his closest ally, to say Mr Brown is "looking very carefully at the events of this week" (suggesting a decision imminently) and describing the decision as a "gamble", must be significant.

Balls' words are strikingly different from his comments to today's Daily Telegraph, that "[Brown] hasn't told me [when the election willl be] and it is his decision". Below is a hasty transcript. But the words do not capture two important elements of the interview, discussed afterwards.

Interviewer Sarah Montague: [Should there be] fixed term Parliaments?
EB [Chuckling] That is not an issue that I have looked at that I have looked at as part of my families brief.
SM Sure, you laugh, but everybody is wondering at whether is going to be an early election
EB I'm laughing because it is perhaps the most contrived link in an interview, but it is brilliant, nonetheless. I think think Gordon Brown will be looking very closely at the events of this week, and he will think that on schools, on the NHS and on fighting crime, we are...
SM You know him well, is Gordon Brown
EB It's a very interesting question as to where the gamble really lies. I think he will be looking at the facts but he will also be asking whether on the key issues we are setting out our priorities and ask whether we are establishing the choice of visions for the future...
SM .. Can I ...
EB ... which is not where the Conservative Party has been
SM Can I pick up, Where does the gamble lie?
EB Sorry?
SM Where does the gamble lie. You picked me up on my use
[Silence]
SM Do go ahead...
[Silence]
EB Sorry Sarah, over the last, er, few months, as he has established his leadership and dealt with the crises that were thrown at him. Clearly, over the last few months as Gordon Brown has established his leadership, as he's dealt with some of the difficult crises which have been thrown at him and at our country... not only did public opinion polls strengthen but underlying support for his leadership has strengthened as well.

Two important points: The first was the way the Today interviewer frustratingly interrupted him in the middle of the "crucial week" answer, somewhat muddying the reply. The second is that Balls appeared to regret the use of the world "gamble" - pressed on what this meant, there were two painful silences, as if the penny was dropping.

So what does all of this mean? Is it a) An incautious set of remarks or even a bit of a gaffe, b) a deliberate attempt to raise expectations to stir the Tories which has little or no bearing on the actual decision or c) a true reflection of a shift inside the Brown camp. We'll see.

Poll snap - 11 point lead

A C4 NEWS/YOUGOV poll on voting intentions reveals that 44 per cent of those canvassed would vote for Labour in the next general election – representing a jump of five percent since last week.  The latest poll for Channel 4 News was carried out immediately after Gordon Brown gave his maiden conference speech as Labour leader – and now gives now gives Labour an 11 point lead over the Tories.

However – when asked when Gordon Brown should call an election, the majority of those surveyed (57%) did not want an election this autumn. In fact only 29% of respondents opted for a quick election.

Bet flair

There are few companies as adept at securing publicity for themselves as the bookies. Cometh the hour, cometh the press release. Here is today's attempt to get on tomorrow's front pages, reported by the Press Association:

"Bookmakers Ladbrokes suspending betting on a poll this year after what they described as an “unprecedented” run of wagers on 2007, even after they slashed odds from 5/2 to 2/1. Spokesman David Williams said: “It was as busy an afternoon as we’ve seen in a long time. All the money came for an early election and we’ve decided to take a breather. Punters seem convinced that Brown is about to call the nation to the polls.” Ladbrokes is offering odds of 5/2 on an election in 2008, 7/4 on 2009 and 5/1 on 2010."

All of this comes ahead of an interesting snap poll done by YouGov taken by Channel 4 news, which is embargoed until 8pm

Update: better late than never, William Hill follows with its latest political betting and are reporting no slow down in the gamble on an early poll.

"William Hill offer 2/1 that the Election WILL take place in 2007 'and we face a record six figure payout if it does' added Sharpe. Hills offer 7/4 that the Election will not be until 2009; 9/4 in 2008; 5/1 in 2010. Labour are 2/5 favourites to win it with the Tories 7/4 and thre Lib Dems 66/1."

Sweaty Tory palms

It's not been the easiest week for the new boy.

Quentin Davis, who talks like a Tory, buys pinstripe suits like a Tory, and praises one nation Conservativism like a Tory (to the bemusement of Labour activists who sat through his speech in the conference hall), isn't making friends as fast as he might like in Bournemouth.

His troubles came to a head in the bar last night when he was assailed by Peter Oborne, the jowelly Mail writer. "I think I might have, um - and it was so late at night - might have, well, he's a perfectly well meaning chap. But I think I suggested he might have been rather muggled by Labour," says Oborne, with a touch of pride. "And I think I added that he was intellectually confused." Oborne denies the Chinese Whispers that there was pushing and shoving. "There was no physical contact, I can assure you".

Private doctor leads health reforms

Alan Johnson used a curious form of words to introduce Professor Ara Darzi (Baron Darzi of Denham) , the surgeon leading the NHS review.

"Professor Ara Darzi, who will be making a presentation later, is one of the world's leading surgeons - the man who pioneered keyhole and robotic surgery," he waxed. "He will continue to see patients free of charge two days a week. And for the rest of the time, we're fortunate to have him as a Labour Government minister."

If this statement leads you to think he's a doctor soley employed by the NHS, you would be wrong. According to the Prime Minister's official spokesman on the day he was appointed, "Professor Darzi would be paid three days a week, work four days a week, and would continue to work on Fridays as a surgeon, and would not receive any salary from the NHS. Professor Darzi did have an international private practice, and any income that would be received from that was paid directly to Imperial College to fund research."

So he is working for a profit-making practice, even though he channels the money elsewhere. Funny how that gets missed out.

Is this what Gordon meant

A quick look at the Gospel of St Luke (never leave home without it) chapter 19, verse 26, reveals a sting in the tale in the Parable of the Talents, which Gordon quoted approvingly yesterday. "I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him."

So more for the rich, while the poor lose everything. He may be trying to steal the Tories' clothes, but that's a little far even for him

The Q&A

Gordon Brown's question and answer session on Wednesday will be hosted by Mariella Frostrup, the  Norwegan-born journalist and broadcaster noted for her gravely voice, the blog has learnt. This piece of information is another minor victory against the Labour information blackout machine.

No scars on Gordon's back

It's the all-things-to-all-people conference here in Bournemouth. In his speech yesterday, Gordon Brown parcelled up the electorate in to neat sections and tickled them each in turn.

But the consequence is that many of the pointy heads were left unsatisfied, saying it did not amount a coherent whole. Gordon has simply stopped talking about market reform and private sector involvement in the public sector, preferring instead to talk about "personalisation", a term which has yet to be fully defined. The Times leader went further, arguing that it represented a lurch to the left. Everyone, it seems, disagrees about what it meant.

So we turn to his lieutenants for more guidance. This morning it was Alan Johnson's turn to flesh out Gordon's vision for health - and it is one that will glad the heart of every doctor and nurse. "Government needs to get behind health staff, not stand in their way. Their public service ethos is the life force of the National Health Service." He advocated a "tough regime" for the private sector and tougher regulatory powers to keep them in line.

Dave Prentice, the Unison General Secretary, was so delighted he has already released a press release. "We are pleased Alan Johnson did not mention markets or the private sector in his speech", he said.

To be fair, Gordon is squaring for a fight with GPs over out of hours. But it's not exactly Tony "scars on my back" Blair who said in 1999 speech said public sector workers who are stuck in their ways and resisted change at every stage.

The Tory response

David Cameron said: "After that uninspiring speech it's clear that Gordon Brown has no answers to Britain's problem. The Conservatives do and that is why we all along called for a general election and continue to do so. We are ready and waiting."

The Speech

One hour and five minutes gone, and what did we learn? Some new policy to chew over - regular health checks on the NHS, doubling the number of eco-towns to 10, a review of climate change goals, increasing maternity leave to 9 months and handheld computers for coppers to cut paperwork. Lots was nearly new, wrapping up his announcements he has made in the first three months in a perhaps lengthy list given mid-speech.

But this was all about the politics, Gordon Brown formerly introducing himself of the British public. His style, unlike Blair, appears to be to please all of the people all of the time. Here's how

I'm above party politics: "Britain: communities where buildings can be damaged and even destroyed but our spirit is indestructible" and "Our spirit is indestructible" and "Our spirit as great Britain stands united together"

I want the Daily Mail readers to vote Labour: "Let me be clear to any newcomer to Britain who is caught selling drugs or using guns will be thrown out. No-one who sells drugs to our children or uses guns has the right to stay in our country".

I want Telegraph readers: "I continue to reach out to all those who work hard and play by the rules, who believe in strong families and a patriotic Britain who may have supported other parties but who like me want to defend and advance British values and our way of life."

I want Independent readers: "I am asking the new interdependent climate change committee to report on whether the 60 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050, which is already bigger than most other countries, should be even stronger still."

I want Express readers: "In July I met Liam Fairhurst, a twelve year old boy who won the Diana Princess of Wales medal for raising money for cancer and leukaemia research."

Stop voting SNP: "Sharing this same small island we will meet our environmental, economic and security challenges not by splitting apart but when we as Great Britain stand together.

Blair couldn't fix it: "We all know that in our society we do have real problems to solve... "

Cameron is wrong on society: "but don't let anyone tell us - the British people - that this country of ours, which has over centuries given so much to the world, has ever been broken by anyone or anything."

I want to woo Tory and Lib Dem voters: "New Labour: now the party of aspiration and community. Not just occupying but shaping and expanding the centre ground."

I need a slogan to change the language on public service reform away from private involvement: "This is the future for our public services. Accessible to all, personal to you"

I want the religious vote: "We all remember that biblical saying: "suffer the little children to come unto me." No Bible I have ever read says: "bring just some of the children."

I want to keep party activists onside: "I pay tribute to our Deputy Leader Harriet Harman who by her campaigning work is pioneering this cause of equality. No discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexuality, age or faith. And no discrimination against the disabled."

I want to keep the unions (particularly Unison) onside: "I can announce that matrons will have the power to order additional cleaning and send out a message - meet the highest standards of cleanliness or lose your contract."

I want Tony to keep an eye on Cherie's book: "Let me here acknowledge the contribution he is making now and the debt we owe as a party and as a country to Tony Blair."

Council tax and spend

Walking around the exhibitors hall, a small moment of right wing outrage at the sight of council upon council paying tens of thousands of pounds for stands to promote themselves.

Take Hackney. Posh stand. Plasma screen. Glossy booklet. Two members of staff. Councillors at their beck and call if someone wants a photo (we didn't). Why? "The 2012 games give us a golden opportunity to make Hackney a better place. We will work with partners and organisations to get the best out of the Games for the people who live in the borough...." So a stand in the upper exhibitors hall for Hackney to lobby central government for, it seems, more money. Lets see if Hackney council tax payers agree with that.

Or wonder over to the highly impressive Salford stand. Free memory sticks for people who stop and chat. Or Mersyside. Or the West Midlands transport agency. It goes on

The cynical view is that these are Labour authorities, supporting the Labour party in a covert manner. It happens at all conferences, so nobody complains. Then again, perhaps it worked. Hackney has just featured in Gordon's speech.

Climate Care Bears

There isn't much pretence that this is a particularly environmentally friendly conference. The issue is far down the agenda. Nobody here is talking about it with much enthusiasm. Even the climate change polar bears standing outside the security cordon were reduced to shouting "I'm cute" at passing delegates. They soon gave up, and went and sat on beach chairs by the sea and watched the surfers.

From the shadows

Sarah Brown made her solo conference debut as Prime Minsiter's wife yesterday, but virtually nobody noticed - probably how she prefers it.

Just one report made it into today's papers, in the Daily Record which revealed she had spoken at a women's reception to say she would do al she could to get her husband re-elected.

But she insisted her key role was to keep things "as normal as possible" for her family and promised to continue her charity work.

She said she had a lot to learn about living at 10 Downing Street - while giving journalists a tour she accidently showed them into a broom cupboard.

What is the point of Hazel?

Reading her speech, it is not terribly clear what Hazel Blears does. Astonishingly, there just one mention of housing in her speech, even though Gordon Brown repeated on the radio this morning that is a top political priority. It is, it appears, an area she is entirely leaving to Yvette. Precious little on race, too, another big area for the department.

Having a powerful number 2 in a government department is usually a recipe for pretty rancorous internal strife. Just remember Margaret Beckett, Foreign Secretary, and Geoff Hoon, his Europe minister, in the final year of the Blair era. Geoff won that match pretty decisively.

Sack the speechwriter

The worst line of the conference so far comes courtesty of Rhodri Morgan in his Sunday speech: "Yes conference, Calamity Cameron will soon become Dole Queue Dave."

Untitled

Cruddas returns

One of the more curious facts to emerge during conference relates to Jon Cruddas, the former deputy leader challenger from the union wing of the party. He has resurfaced again after a period of purdah, with an interview in today's Times, a slew of fringe meetings, and a frank diary for the Spectator ("11.05 pm no food and no drink have passed my lips since breakfast so am off to find my own personal wine lake.")

It turns out that his wife, Anna Healey, a former Mo Mowlam special adviser and Labour Party press officer, has gone to work for his former rival Harriet Harman. (His votes, of course, helped her win after he was knocked out in the fourth round of voting) Very generous, but can't imagine his former campaign team are too happy....

Stealing Cameron's clothes

Gordon Brown's round of radio and TV interviews this morning spelt out what's to come in his first conference speech at 2.30 in Bournemouth. David Cameron could be forgiven if he finds it more than a little familiar. 

On BBC Radio 4, the Prime Minister talked about a "cultural shift" needed in Britain across a whole range of issues, asking in many areas for a debate on "what is the right boundary between what is acceptable and what is not acceptable", adding that "there should be responsibility at all levels of society".

Compare this to the Tory leader's most recent speech on the state of society. Similar worries, similar solutions.

"Let us recognise once and for all that it is the last of these three - changing our society and, frankly, changing our culture - that matters the most and where change is so desperately needed..... A national recognition that it is not just up to the Government to take responsibility for the state of our nation, it is up to all of us. To me this is what social responsibility is all about." David Cameron, August 24 2007, Brize Norton.

Meanwhile in the hall...

From the Press Association, filed at 5.41pm

Gordon Brown today received praise for being Labour’s first disabled Prime Minister Janet Kirk, general secretary of the Labour Party Disabled Members Group, congratulated Mr Brown and said she hoped there would be “many more” disabled Prime Ministers.

3/10 for Ed Balls

And now for some corporate cross promotion. Our colleagues at Sky have issued Top Trumps, scoring individual front bencher on charisma, looks and Parliamentary skills. Adam Boulton has (bravely) ranked various senior politicians on charisma.

Amongst the most ambitious of the "next generation" of Labour pols, he puts Ed Balls, the Prime Minister's right hand man and friend of many journalists, well behind David Miliband, although Douglas Alexander, another singularly driven individual, fails to feature at all. Amongst opposition, he curiously ranks Caroline Spelman ahead of Nick Clegg, while Lembit features worryingly highly.

So do you agree with the following charisma scores?

2: Des Browne, Hilary Benn

3: Theresa May, Oliver Letwin, Harriet Harman, Nick Clegg, Ed Balls

4: Ed Miliband, Alistair Darling, Jack Straw, Caroline Spelman, Jacqui Smith, Alex Salmond, James Purnell, Hazel Blears

5: Lembit Opik, Alan Johnson, John Hutton, Ian Paisley, Menzies Campbell

6: George Osborne, George Galloway, Charles Kennedy, David Miliband, Boris Johnson, David Davis

7: Gordon Brown, David Cameron, William Hague

The Rt Hon Michael Meacher

Four months ago, he was trying to become Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party. Yesterday, Michael Meacher's fate was altogether more ignominious during the debate on party reform. Calling on him to speak the chair appeared not to recognise him. "You, yes you, there ... don't look so surprised".

Thank you, Darling

It certainly wasn't a leadership bid. But he jokes were decent enough, the delivery was light but firm and the tone was reassuring. If he was a bank manager, he would probably be working for Smile.

In 20 minutes, Alistair Darling managed more contrition than Gordon did in ten years. "Last week was difficult. Difficult for Northern Rock savers, for us all. There are lessons to be learnt." And he hints at a tougher approach towards the city, perhaps even those dreaded hedge funds, than he suggested in his very first interviews as Chancellor. "We need effective regulation in international markets too. Far greater openness and to prevent risky investments being hidden off balance sheet."

But the speech's most impressive section was a highly effective attacks on the Tories, highlighting a section in the John Redwood competitiveness report that, in retrospect, seems less like a good idea...

"It is the luxury of opposition they don't always get held to account for everything they said last week or last month.  And that's a luxury to which the Tories are welcome for a long time.

"But just occasionally, we are entitled to draw attention to the dangerous nonsense that they talk. Let me give you one example. Just a few weeks ago, the Tories said there was "no need to continue to regulate the provision of mortgage finances, as it is the lending institutions", the banks, "taking the risk." 

""Does David Cameron, today, really think that there is no need to regulate the mortgage market?"

Ouch

Portillo stirs up trouble

Not for the first time, Michael Portillo has plunged the knife in to his former colleagues. Speaking on ITV1's Sunday Edition, the former Tory MP said that the prospect of an Autumn election was "frightening" the Tories.

“The atmosphere that there might be an election very, very soon is dominating thinking and, I think, frightening the Tories. I have been undecided for a long time as to whether this whole exercise by Gordon Brown is simply a way of putting the frighteners on the Conservative party. It’s certainly already forced Cameron to bring forward all sorts of stuff that he would have liked to have brought out over a couple of years. It’s set up confusion in the party.” He said there would be a “great deal of tension” at the Tory conference in Blackpool the week after next. “I would have thought the prospect of a general election is now so looming that most people will behave themselves.”

Election worm rating: up 0.5 to 8.5/10

New Labour, Old Control Freakery

Labour conference wouldn't be Labour conference without some inane control freakery. One of the more absurd side effects is that we (the media) and they (the delegates) are not allowed to know in advance the time and identity of this year's speakers.

A combination of the rumour mill and the more helpful special advisers suggest that Hazel Blears is speaking tomorrow, John Hutton and David Miliband on Tuesday, Ed Balls on Wednesday, and Jacqui Smith on Thursday. But is that in the programme? Hell no. Will the press office help? Nope.

Their excuse, such that it is, is that the agenda must be voted on each day and they only discover each morning. But the idea that they don't have a pretty good idea is absurd.

Knocking on the BBC's door

Bob Dylan was once arrested trying to get into his own concert hall in Medford, Oregon. Now Jacqui Smith knows how he feels.

The Home Secretary was barred from the BBC offices minutes before she was due to go on air to do an interview. Despite protestations from aides that she was one of the most senior members of the government and did oversee Britain's counter-terrorism operations and therefore posed little risk to those inside, she was stopped by security guards who insisted her name wasn't on the list.

BBC News 24, true to current form, indulged in a bout of self-loathing and broadcast an item on the mistake in full.

Semantic update

Sometimes keeping track of labels can be confusing. So a helpful guide has been provided by the Labour Gay, Bisexual and Transgender society (LGBT), who have asked for a number of linguistic changes to the Labour Party rule book..

They want to delete "sexuality" and replace it with "sexual orientation, gender identity". Secondly in the Young Labour rules, replace "gender" with "gender identity".

Good to know...

Style over substance

In many ways, Gordon's appearance on Sunday AM didn't quite live up to its advance briefings: he did not rule out beyond doubt calling an election this week, (he came close, but stopped short with a tease that he is "getting on this the job") and revealed little.

Pressed on when he discovered about Northern Rock's problems, for instance, he said he discovered from a "tripartate committee". Asked when they told him, he said they were a "continuous group of people meeting on a regular basis." So that's clear then

But actually, for our purposes, appearance was everything this morning. We saw Gordon's new conference haircut and bespoke suite. According to today's Sunday Telegraph, he gets £1,100 customised suits from Timothy Everest, with hair done by Kevin Graham, a hairstylist from Michaeljohn salon. The banishing of those unruly curls is the strongest sign yet of an early election.

Post Andrew Marr, the worm back up one to 8/10

Where's Harriet

A virtual silence from Harriet Harman in the run-up to conference. Her only mentions in this week's papers were to reveal she pleaded guilty over a speeding fine, and the fact she failed to show up for a press conference on equality. Her last public outing was 10 days ago on a walkabout in Rugby. Most oddly of all, nobody has succeeded in securing an interview with her - not for want of trying, I'm told - strange for the deputy leader of the Labour.

Then remember how characteristically unsentimental Brown aides were on her election as deputy leader. Within minutes of her victory in June they were spinning she would not be Deputy Prime Minister, not fill in for Gordon when he was on holiday and would not do Prime Minister's Questions. And since then, she's been kept largely silent.

But public appearances are inescapeable this week, and these will make fascinating watching. She has, against the wishes of some in the party, won her battle to do the "Prescott slot", which closes conference and used to send activists away cheered. Will these be a gaffe free conference, and will her jokes win over the party on the final day?

The Worm

If the advance briefings were right, Gordon Brown will say on Sunday AM on BBC One that he will not call a general election during Labour conference. No doubt he will loftily say he wants his team to set out their programme for government this week free from more prosaic distractions.

Do not be fooled. General Election-watch is the only game in town, and the odds on an October or November election changing hour by hour. Everything this week in Bournemouth, from Darling's eyebrow colour to Harman's shoes, will be seen through the prism of a possible early election, which we will be tracking via The Times worm. To give you the idea, here are Saturday's worm ratings:

10am: Bookies William Hill cut the odds of an early election from 4/1 to 3/1 Worm at 6/10

4pm: Sarah Brown accompanies Gordon on a hospital visit sporting a striking orange jacket. Sunny in Bournemouth Worm up 1 to 7/10

7pm: Press Association reveals Brown interview with Sunday Times and article for News of the World. Describing what they confusingly call "his first policy initiative" (hasn't he does anything else in his first 3 months in the job?) he announces a deep clean for hospitals, waiting times for cervical cancer screenings reduced to 14 days and breast cancer screenings extended from 50-70 year olds to 47-73 year olds. Phew. Worm up 1 to 8/10

7.50pm: ICM poll for Sunday Mirror puts Labour on 39, Tories on 33, Lib Dems on 19. Worm up 1 to 9/10

8pm Britain's first case of bluetounge disease, which can kill up to 70 per cent of a flock of sheep and is spread by mideges, confirmed in Ipswich. Worm down 2 to 7/10

Podcast: Matthew Parris's audio sketch

In the first of an exclusive series of conference podcasts Matthew Parris talks to Charles Kennedy and Brian Paddick, gossips about Lady Campbell's handbagging and keeps the pink flag flying high

5 reasons for Ming to worry after conference

So Ming's speech got glowing write ups and the ICM/Guardian poll put them on 20 per cent, meaning activists returned home happy and MPs can breath a sigh of relief. But if the Liberal Democrats are thinking they can congratulate themselves for "getting away with it" in Brighton this week, they are mistaken.

Here are 5 reasons why

1. Last year Ming's age was a big issue at party conference, as it was this year. Next year - if there hasn't been a general election or a coup - it will still dog Ming, who will then be 67. Aides would be wrong to think he had "solved" the issue simply by talking about it.

2. Ming suggestively called David Cameron a "substance free zone" in last year's speech. This year he stuck more to the politics and delivered a sharper critique on Brown and Labour, suggesting a move to the centre. But Ming insists he is on the centre-left of British politics, and there was little in his speech that would attract disaffected Tory voters. Is this electorally sensible?

3. The party's message on tax, the most radioactive of issues, is confusing and Ming is largely to blame. Their policies would mean tax cuts for 90 per cent but on Sunday when Ming, apparently in error, agreed with the statement that his tax policies would "hammer" the rich without spelling out what it means. The public are confused and used to assuming the worse with the Lib Dems. The party must agree a line and stick to it.

4. It is hard for the third party to make the political weather, but the Liberal Democrats can and should try harder. They used to have a reputation for holding government to account effectively, by combing through government documents and Parliamentary Answers. Inexcusably, this has stopped in some key policy areas. Putting pressure on the government will generate easy positive headlines.

5. Above all, ditch the self pity. It was hard to escape the everybody-hates-us feeling in some corners of Brighton. Ming set the tone by blaming the media in his closing speech, as do so many others. What happened to the bold response and tough skin? Get over it and grow up. The party must get out of the comfort zone in order to make more of a impact.

The big moment

Well he did it, and did it well. Ming's speech - and for veterans of this party conference it has been long time coming - was worth waiting for. It went down well in the hall, not least because of the jokes, just one of the several key contributions of Sir Menzies young but clearly talented speechwriter Euan Roddin.

They included:

On John Redwood's tax commission: "Would you believe it?Advice from the Vulcan First Officer. Ideas straight from the bridge of the Starship Free Enterprise. Policies, Dave – but not as we know them."

On Boris Johnson: "The blondest suicide note in history"

It was a step change from last year, and some of the passeges were particularly fluent. They pleased the crowd, were delivered well, and lifted the mood in the hall. Delegates will go home happy

Politically it was also interesting, amounting to a rebalancing from last year where the centrepiece was a highly personal attack on David Cameron. This year there was no personal attacks, and the critique of Labour was much sharper. It amounted to a subtle shift further from Labour - providing some comfort to those who think he is too nice about Gordon Brown - and away from demonising the Tories to please left leaning activists.

One footnote: In the dysfunctional way that only the Liberal Democrats can, while every other Liberal Democrat in Brighton was in the hall listening to Ming's speech, the press office was sending out a flurry of releases on subjects as diverse as the flooding and counter terrorism policy. Four arrived in 11 minutes in my inbox. Utterly bizarre

The woman behind the handbag

Hell hath no fury like a leaders' wife scorned, as Elspeth, Sir Menzies Campbell's wife reminded Nick Clegg yesterday. Like Cherie, she is a serious force behind the leader and in a Times interview last year, he described her as his closest friend in politics.

The smoking ban has meant she has been prominent this year's party conference, standing on the pavement outside the Grand hotel having a cigarette.

As Clegg found to his cost yesterday, she is not afraid to challenge aggressively promote and protect her husband: for instance Elspeth often complains that her husband is a nightmare on holiday. No sooner do they arrive at their destination than he is already fidgeting to get back to work

But she has her slight weaknesses, and her love of the establishment is one of them. One story is that she used every chance encounter with Tony Blair to try to engineer a weekend at Chequers

A strange BBC press release

The BBC have just issued a somewhat odd press release reporting off camera remarks made by Sarah Teather, the higher education spokeswoman, after conducting an interview with Andrew Neil on the Daily Politics. The BBC operative, who distributed press releases round to print journalists, said it was being issued "on Andrew Neil's instruction". Maybe it's just me, but I think there's something uncomfortable about this. You decide...

LIB DEM CHAOS OVER COSY CONSENSUS

Leader’s office and frontbencher at odds over their tuition fees policy

Wednesday, September 19

In an interview with the Daily Politics, the Party’s Higher Education Spokeswoman, Sarah Teather, told Andrew Neil: Sarah Teather: “At the moment we are abolishing tuition fees but we are looking to review the policy and it will be slightly different at the next general election. I can’t say what it will be because we have a commission. We haven’t decided on the policy yet.”

Her comments are at odds with the Leader’s speech briefing paper handed to journalists this afternoon, the Liberal Democrats said their policy was to ‘scrap tuition fees’. It was used in the briefing as an example of how the Liberal Democrats are a radical alternative to the ‘Cosy Consensus’

After the interview, the BBC Daily Politics Presenter, Andrew Neil, showed her the briefing document and that’s when she said: “I’m just the Higher Education spokeswoman, no-one ever tells me anything”.

She was then seen by Andrew Neil, to head straight for Ed Davey, Ming Campbell’s Chief of Staff and was seen by Andrew Neil remonstrating with them.

Leadership ping pong

And lo, Chris Huhne plays Nick Clegg's "probably" with a very straight bat.

In a press briefing, he said: "There is no vacancy and this is premature to even talk about the possibility of there being a vacancy."I am not a sort of Michael Heseltine figure who plans the road map to Downing Street from the day they come out of nappies. I wait for opportunities and then decide at the time. I am very happy with what I am doing. I am very pleased Ming asked me to do the environment brief which I think is the key challenge facing the country."

A slap-down to his putative leadership rival? You decide.

It must be said that Mr Clegg's colleagues have not been terribly sympathetic. One suggested that the remark showed he hadn't spent very long in Parliament where you have to watch careless remarks. Another was obviously unimpressed, said he should have used a different formula of words to respond. Ed Davey, the party chair, said that there was no vacancy "and if you look at the exact quote you will see he is saying exactly what I have just said."

Why did Clegg do this?

As the 8am Radio 4 headlines have just revealed, the rules of the game here in Brighton have changed overnight. Nick Clegg, the party's home affairs spokesman, has gone further than before at a fringe meeting and said he would "probably" stand for the leadership after Ming goes.

According to Laura Kuenssberg in this post on the BBC website, when asked at a fringe meeting to state his future intentions, Mr Clegg said "if you are asking me would I stand against Ming, the answer is no". When pushed on the issue, he responded that "if there was a vacancy in the future then I probably would".

On one level this is no surprise - MPs talk frequently in private that they expect him to stand - but the normally cautious Clegg has avoided spelling such a move out so explicitly in public (and, to my knowledge, in private) before.

So the rhetorical arms race (probably) begins. Everyone will be hunting down Chris Huhne and after that just about ever other Lib Dem frontbenchers to see whether they too want to escalate.

But was this wise? This statement - virtually declaring his candidacy - will follow him round until the day Ming goes. It is hard to see how this intervention, from one of Sir Menzies most loyal lieutenants, is helpful because it gets the leadership back in the headlines. It could consequently irritate MPs who do not want to talk about this and resent another round of leadership headlines. Huhne could decide not to follow suit, and consequntly gain some advantage.

Twofer with Matthew Parris from the Liberal Democrat Conference

Daniel Finkelstein - Times comment editor and one time member of the SDP - talks to Matthew Parris - Times political columnist and former Tory MP - about the Liberal Democrat conference in a twofer.

Ghost of leaders' past

Around 4pm, there was an spontaneous stampede out of  the press room and through the Brighton Centre. "Charles Kennedy is asleep" cried one of my colleagues breathlessly as he burst into the conference hall

No such luck. Kennedy was there, in the front, as sprightly as ever, preparing to speak in the poverty debate. It transpires that the hacks had fallen foul of Chinese whispers - one of the journalists had misheard "Charles Kennedy's about to speak."

But it was not a wasted journey. Kennedy - clearly on form - issued a robust rallying cry for party activists to hit back at critics, be bold and avoid looking too defensive. It was exactly the sort of speech Ming - who yesterday admitted he was "scared stiff" before speeches - would loved to have made himself.

"At the last election we held our heads up high," Kennedy declared, his speech interrupted by regular sustained bursts of applause (in contrast to the speaker who followed).

Friends of Ming like to point out that Kennedy will be welcomed back to front bench "when he decides he is ready" and suggest, leadingly, that his absence speaks for itself. But, as today proved, Charles is not without his uses for the party, although perhaps he reminds Ming a little too much of what he is not.

Ming the Meaningless

Sir Menzies Campbell's pitch to the electorate is that age is an advantage and  experience makes him a distinctive alternative, particuarly to David Cameron. Problem is, according to a new Channel 4 vox pop, nobody recognises him.

They asked voters to identify the Liberal Democrat leader from photographs of Alec Douglas-Home, the former prime minister, Victor Meldrew, the comedian and John Reid, the former home secretary. An overwhelming majority went for John Reid, with Sir Ming trailing in second place. No-one, thankfully, confused him for the other two.

Deeply unscientific. But the idea of John Reid - something of a sceptic on those very human rights issues dear to the Lid Dems' hearts - leading the party is too entertaining a prospect to go unnoted.

McCanns' ex-spokeswoman addresses conference

Justine McGuinness, who spent 89 days as the spokesman for the McCann family in Portugal, is fast becoming one of the key attractions in Brighton. Unsurprisingly, she has been besieged by activists and journalists wanting to know more about here time working for the McCanns.

So the public affairs guru must have known that when she stood up in the conference hall during the immigration debate to call for tougher border controls "to prevent children being moved out of Europe", people would inevitably draw a link with her former role. "Do it for our children", she cried, to a bemused audience.

Officially she tells those who enquire that she is not talking about the case. But in the bars, late and night, a few details have emerged. She has dropped several hints that she did not enjoy the closest relations with Gerry McCann, and also also that she was never intended to have an onscreen role as spokeswoman.

Ms McGuinness, who is looking for a safe Lib Dem seat, says she was brought to Portugal to try and change the privacy law which the McCanns believed was hampering the search for their daughter. She says she tried to handle the media "like a general election campaign" with open regular media briefings, but this upset some media outlets that wanted to get a scoop on their rivals.

The wrinkly party

It's not just Ming whose age (66) has been attracting attention. In the conference hall this morning, men were asked to put up their hands if they are over 65 and women over 60. According to my spy in the hall, an overwhelming majority of delegates put their hand up. The Tories are not alone in having so many, well, experienced delegates...

Hammered

Sir Menzies wriggled uncomfortably on the Today programme on Radio 4 this morning after appearing to concede that the Liberal Democrats would "hammer" the top 10 per cent of earners on Sunday.

Caroline Quinn: You admitted at the weekend that the top 10 per cent of earners would be hammered by your proposals. Sir Menzies (interrupting): I didn't use the word hammered; Quinn: Well you agreed with it; Sir Menzies: Well no I..... [chuckle] Quinn: Lets not have this debate Sir Menzies: Well It's an important distinction

To prevent history being re-written, here is what he said on Sunday AM at the weekend that generated all those "hammered" headlines

Marr: .... which can only meant the other 10 per cent are hammered Sir Menzies: Yes, and yes, and those households whose income is in the order of seventy thousand pounds per annum

"Gosh, I'm a failure" - Ming

Time to send Ming on some media training. First the toilet picture, now a somewhat incautious quip during the Q&A with Sandi Toksvig. Bantering about whether both of them get butterflies before going on stage, he joked: "Gosh, I'm a failure", before grimacing when he realised what he had said.

Pointing to the future

It's happened again. A year ago today, Ming was photographed on the seafront at Brighton in front of the burnt out west pier. It was universally acknowledged to be a big mistake, allowing headline writers easy jokes about a burnt out leader whose ambitions were crashing into the sea. Huge black mark against the leaders' media team for allowing it to happen.

This morning, Ming was taken to the "earth ship", a eco-friendly public building. They process their own sewage, have solar pnels, all very impressive .... except that during the course of the photoshoot, Ming was pictured pointing down a toilet - which is where some believe he is taking the Liberal Democrat party.

Ming's press handlers have failed - again - to heed the lessons of pr 101. When when shown the picture, his spokesman, (who was still not aware of the photo two hours after it was taken) replied: "ah hah. Okay. Right. That's where they process the sewage inside the waste factory," adding that he was looking after print reporters and Ed Davey had been with Ming at the time.

Good to see we've already got the blame game going...

The Core Vote strategy

Core vote strategy is something of a dirty term in British politics. It has become shorthand for Tory retreat into issues that please its base - a strategy credited with keeping them in the lows 30s in general elections since 1997.

This year the Liberal Democrats in Brighton are having a core vote conference, with an emphasis on green issues and higher taxes on the rich (officially the message is 'fairer' taxes but Sir Menzies went much further yesterday and this morning's papers are full of Libs-to-hammer-the-rich stories). Both are undoubtedly activist-pleasing messages.

But is this a good idea? MPs, it seems, are divided.

On one hand, the argument goes, a party like the Liberal Democrats, with limited resources, can only realistically make the running in two or three issues. The environment, which is the theme of the conference, is the perfect Lib Dem topic, and unites the party activists. This is particularly important during this fraught conference, where the leadership would be unwise to open up battles on a new front.

On the other, talking about the same limited number of subjects risks the charge that they are more think tank than political party. They believe the only way they can reach out to new voters is to put forward a bold policy programme on areas like public services. The party does have a bold set of quasi-Blairite suggestions on health, driven by Norman Lamb,  and education, by David Laws. Some MPs believe there is a opportunity to make the political weather with a radical, anti-professional agenda. But there seems little attempt to push this agenda by Ming himself.

You could mischievously call this the Chris Huhne (environment) vs Nick Clegg (new agenda) debate, although both would run a mile from such labels.

There is a slightly more depressing theory: does it matter. As more long sighted Lib Dems remind themselves, the fate of the third party is determined by the performance of Labour and Tories. The first half of the year saw a Cameron bounce, the second a Brown bounce, leaving little room for Sir Menzies. As Tim Hames, the Times chief leader writer, points out, the Liberal Democrats would have struggled to get noticed over the last 12 months even if they had elected the Pope their leader.

But there is little sense to outsiders that the party are having this debate. After the difficult time that Sir Menzies has endured, it is understandable if he retreats into a more defensive, more core vote strategy. But not everybody is sure he is right.

Not Merciless, Just Ming?

Even Ming's advisers agree that Saatchi & Saatchi's winning advertising pitch to Labour - Not Flash, Just Gordon - is a stroke of genius. But senior party figures think that the obvious rejoinder for Ming - Not Merciless, Just Ming - doesn't quite send the right signals...

A little help from my (Facebook) friends

With the dreary inevitability of the uncle on the wedding dance floor, politicians have stumbled across Facebook and are busy admiring pictures of themselves beaming away on the profile page.

Is this an innovative way of tapping into the somewhat nebulous "new politics" concept? Or do you, like I did, read the following passage from the speech by Steve Webb - the party's manifesto chief - and weep.

"I discovered that my e-mail group are all ‘knocking on’ a bit – most of them are over thirty! What I wasn’t doing was reaching out to the younger people who are systematically disenchanted with the whole lot of us. And then I discovered Facebook.

"For those of you who are not familiar with Facebook it’s an internet site which allows you to keep in touch with networks of friends and acquaintances, post photographs and videos, create groups in support of particular causes and even give people an hourly update on your changing mood if you want. There’s barely a student in t