Tuesday night/Wednesday morning
GB’s speech nailed it. No game changer in terms of tax policy, though. The ‘Spectator/Compass middle class tax cut’ was not even announced. Very clever; we must be saving it for next week. The speech worked for GB—the conference response was significant; indeed profound. The space for the coup plotters has been closed down. They in turn are seriously pissed off about how good it was. Rumours persist regarding the Flint martyrdom video.
I hate these big speeches and instead watch them on TV. Sarah showed guts. Most significant was Brown’s more emotional language through the use of individual stories rather than long lists of achievements and targets; for example the man who could be at granddaughter’s wedding due to waiting list cuts. He is sounding more ‘emotionally literate’. He’s obviously dusted down his copy of ‘The Political Brain’.
The second most significant development: the first proper hit on the Tories in over a year. ‘This is no time for a novice’ worked well. This has definitely bought him more than just time; it has helped forge a new coalition of support across the party.
Onto an IPPR fringe on taxing the super rich with Polly T. Brendan of the TUC and Sir Trevor Chinn (top bloke) who is helping out Mayor Boris. Cracking chat, again hundreds there, and Polly, as always, stole the show. I think we all agreed to set up a Royal Commission on wealth and inequality.
Harriet’s speech is on Wednesday lunchtime- my wife works as her special advisor. The tension is palpable. All her staff tend to view us males, including me, with suspicion – they assume we are all prospective Fathers for Justice handcuffers.
Went out on the lash. Dinner with the News of the World, on to the News International gig and then drank a wine lake in the Radisson. It all went horribly wrong. Went to bed at ‘5ish’. The wheels fell off. The crazy man who took a swing the other night was out and about. Someone said he is Ruth Kelly’s Special Advisor; if he is then he has to be put back in the New Labour playpen.
Things went well for Brown—I anticipate a mass defection of Labour’s Taliban to the Tories next week. They are welcome to them. I reckon we should go back to Hazel’s ‘old Labour comfort zone’- let’s abolish the police and let the Russians in! Where is my tanktop?
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