Monday 18th September

Real Politics is on hold, Parliament is not sitting – because of the Conference Season.  There was a time when Conferences were exciting, when unplanned rebellions, walk-outs and full scale rows happened.  But now they are stage managed to the point of boredom, where the party faithful clap on cue, and each leader has a standing ovation despite, or possibly because of, poor public ratings.

I went as a delegate to two party conferences when Callaghan (now, there was a Prime Minister) was in charge.  The left were again, as now, pretty resurgent and there were plenty of arguments about policy. It was all pretty chaotic as I recall – and I must say boring, especially when the card votes were being counted.  But still you felt that somehow all of this mattered – it was Democracy in action.

There have been some memorable Conferences.  Gaitskell vowing to fight for the party he loved after Wilson beat him to the Leadership.  Kinnock denouncing Liverpool ‘s Labour council.  The Brighton Bombing which disrupted but also cemented Thatcher’s popularity.

And one or two surprises.  Ed Milliband beating his brother by a handful of votes, the coronation of Corbyn, and Cecil Parkinson’s fall as his fathering a child with his lover was revealed.

But ever since Blair really the Conferences are simply extended Party Political Broadcasts, and I suspect of as little interest to the general public too.  And since Thatcher they have become so Presidential, all centred on ‘The Leader’, when they are supposed to be about the members and the direction of the party.

So, expect no surprises, no real rocking of the boat – though you never know what Boris will get up to – just lots of soundbites for the Six O’Clock News.