Some pictures from the New Statesman Party. Got one of an elder statesman chatting with the editor of Holyrood magazine.

Sorry this is taking so long to get all my pics and stuff up. Between catching up with work and having a 36 hour server crisis, I'm a bit behind. Anyway, here are the pics from the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform do. It's good to see Austin Mitchell off his sticks.

I went up to Manchester on Sunday, all set for Party Conference; train paid for, accommodation paid for ... only to be greeted upon my arrival with the biggest administrative cock-up in the Party's history.

Blair really is a class act and there is no doubt that we are going to miss him when he is gone.

The BBC reception last night was an exclusive event. Sadly, I had already blagged my way in, when I discovered my name really was on the list.

Gordon started off with a lot of effusive praise of the PM and no less than six mentions of Tony's name in the first ten minutes of his speech to Labour Conference.

Quite surprisingly, he made no mention of his brief, the economy, until some time into his speech, concentrating first on foreign affairs and then education.

By tomorrow, I'm sure I won't be able to blog each event individually, but we'll see how it goes.

OK - so conference doesn't really start until tomorrow - but a special kind of diligent party member arrive on the Saturday, traditionally hosting the London Reception, which I attended and the delegates reception which I did not.

Just a quick update on the journey.

So I was on the Virgin train to Manchester this afternoon when I met Lee Barron, Leader of Northampton Council Labour Group, a pretty straight talking guy with something to say about his expectations of conference.

This afternoon I met with aspiring Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Harriet Harman and recorded this 10 minute interview.

Conference Arrangements Committee (CAC) has ruled out of order 17 motions from CLPs on the leadership election. If this decision stands, Labour Conference will be the only place in the UK where the issue of the leadership is NOT being discussed, and it risks making us look like ostriches with our heads in the sand, whatever your opinion on the actual question (unless you think like an ostrich, of course).

The Conference Arrangements Committee (CAC) has ruled out of order two thirds of contemporary motions submitted for Labour's annual conference.   It has ruled out of order about 140 contemporary motions (including all those on the leadership, Trident, housing and Iraq). Only about 70 motions are ruled in. The CAC meets again on Friday and may rule a few more in order but it doesn't look good. CLP's are encouraged to put in emergency resolutions about this. Deadline for submissions is 12 noon on Friday. See http://www.savethelabourparty.org/ for more details.  

The Labour Party will be publishing over the coming week a series of podcasts of the Prime Minister and his colleagues answering your questions.

   
It's 15 years since the birth of  the publication that changed public attitudes towards the homeless.To celebrate this amazing success story the social campaigns network the Blue Sky Club has organised a night of:    
        FUN, LIVE MUSIC, COMEDY, BARS            

Party the night away with the legendary raconteur and social entrepreneur and author of the best selling 7 steps to success, Big Issue co-founder & editorial director: John Bird with friends and supporters The Big Issue

The Blue Sky Club

Presents

 in association with NicCareem and Shahid Malik MP

 with the Big Issue and equitas recruitment Manchester

During the Labour Party Conference

A special fundraising "give peace a chance" concert for the child victims of the recent conflict between Israel and Lebanon

Greg Kofi Brown and the Legendary African Rockers

Osibisa

The Labour Party has launched a competition to be the official Labour Party Blogger at conference in Manchester this year.