Jon Cruddas

Saturday

Jon Cruddas

Why Labour needs to think about religion

From our UK edition

Liberalism, as Michael Lind has argued, is under attack because it cannot deliver the promised self-correcting markets that provide for free and fair economic competition, political renewal and cultural reconciliation. The malign reality is it consolidates winners, economic monopolies, politically entrenched divides, canyons of class, geography, education and cultural echo chambers where opposition is cancelled.  The remedy is to dismantle concentrations of economic, political and cultural power and challenge meritocratic arguments that help reproduce them.

Wednesday

Jon Cruddas

Jon Cruddas’s conference diary: part 6

From our UK edition

Well that it is for another year, on the train back to London. Brown is in a stronger position than when he started and the right of the party is split - i.e. a good conference. The moderate, pragmatic centre left around Compass are on the move. Today was ‘women’s day’. Didn’t start too well. Apparently at 3am Ruth Kelly resigned- in the bar of the Radisson! Well I was in the bar at 3am and I’m sure Ruth was not there. Although I do remember the whole of the press gallery running into the Hotel lobby after some familiar looking guy. Harriet made a barnstorming speech. Didn’t get in the Conference Centre myself- wasn’t even sure that male delegates were allowed in this morning.

Jon Cruddas

Jon Cruddas’s conference diary: part 5

From our UK edition

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.

Tuesday

Jon Cruddas

Jon Cruddas’s conference diary: part 4

From our UK edition

Monday Night.  The guy did very well. David Miliband rose to the task at hand both in terms of the content but also the performance - as well as demonstration of unity with the PM! His was the most difficult speech of the week and the general consensus is he did very well. It also demonstrates how he really has to watch being seen as captive to a diminishing faction within the party; not least because he is simply better than that. Earlier Chancellor Darling did not provide the equivalent of Paulson’s $700 billion bail-out legislation; but he did offer reassurance and connected with the party delegates. He is the surprise winner across the conference here - and who would have predicted that a few weeks ago?

Monday

Jon Cruddas

Jon Cruddas’s conference diary: part 3

From our UK edition

Monday lunchtime.  Forget Sarah Palin, Boo Weekley is the guy. As anticipated, Poulter won.  But no one else did. A bad golf night. Personally I saw very little- but my staff excelled themselves in their hole-by-hole commentary provided through the Blackberry. The highlight of a long night was a teenager taking a swing at me in the gents at the Radisson. At least I think that was what he was doing as he bounced off the walls talking about ‘no return to old labour’, ‘cannot go back to the 70s’ ‘I’m nuts for Hazel’ etc, etc. Poor bloke reminded me of the guys who used to sell Militant; I bet his dad did. It turns out he had been to the ‘Progress Rally’- no wonder he was speaking in tongues.

Sunday

Jon Cruddas

Jon Cruddas’s conference diary: part 2

From our UK edition

Sunday 4.30.  Conference is split into three groups. The first are still attending the main event in the Hall listening to contributions from, among others, the Home Secretary and Jim Purnell. The second are enjoying the early autumn sunshine on the steps and coffee houses circling the main hall. The final group are those nervously waiting for the Ryder Cup singles to start- including most of the Press. Politically things are warming up. Early morning Marr and Boulton saw both Brown and Harman on good form. By lunchtime Prescott and Charles Clarke were going toe to toe on the BBC; a big points win for John. He then moved on to launch GO4 the Campaign for a 4th Term with Dick Caborn and Alastair Campbell- planting stickers on delegates and planning a regional tour.

Jon Cruddas

Jon Cruddas’s conference diary | 21 September 2008

From our UK edition

Day one of the Labour party conference was a surprisingly enjoyable, even comradely, experience. The fringe packed; the bars friendly and the Manchester Conference Centre working well. Great speeches, in a super venue, made to warm, receptive groups of delegates. The weather: perfect. On show, the Labour party at its best- a respectful, modern pluralist party. To cap it all, at five past midnight I saw Tom Watson MP embrace Barry Gardner MP, Joan Ryan MP and Shioghan McDonagh MP. Tom was, allegedly, the leader of the 2006 ‘Curry Coup’ against Tony Blair, his colleagues, allegedly, leaders of the 2008 ‘Progress Putsch’.  Does this signal the end of the attacks on the PM? Definitely not.