By William Mills
My conference started with an interview with Mary Creagh MP, Shadow Secretary for DEFRA, who cycled to Brighton from Westminster to help raise money for the British Heart Foundation. She arrived looking remarkably healthy and joked happily with reporters.
There seemed to be a split between the traditional Left who champion standing up for one’s beliefs and views, and Corporate Labour who espouse telling the electorate whatever it wants to hear so long as they get elected.
Some excellent speeches were made by Labour’s front bench team
In the conference centre itself the biggest standing ovation, I saw, by the party’s rank and file was reserved for Union boss Len McCluskey, General Secretary of Unite since 2011, who spoke with real conviction and belief.
There were over 200 fringe meetings at venues around town.
At the Stonewall reception I wondered if ‘Gay Rights’ was becoming ‘Gay Power’ as the speaker listed out all the gay candidates standing at the next election. Added to the ones from the other parties it’s becoming quite a power block. Here Sadiq Khan MP jokes with a fellow speaker.
The highlight was finally getting the opportunity to photograph leader Ed Milliband MP on Monday evening at the Palestinian reception. It felt that it was the leader and his press team’s pejorative to keep everyone guessing where he would appear next. When I finally did meet him he came over as a caring, dedicated young man. “Good sort.” some would say.
He finally appears….
Let’s hope that one day the Palestinians will have something to look forward to.
