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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".

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