The Party's Over

So TB ended up staying over night in Brighton and it's another shockingly sunny day on the seafront. He isn't sure if there is an opposite to pathetic fallacy, but it would be highly fitting. He

tweeted

yesterday afternoon that the mood here was somewhat akin to a terminal patient having their last birthday party. Things lightened up a bit in the evening once the booze got flowing, but it would be hard to suggest people are happy. Achingly on-message PPCs will regurgitate the party line and ambitious Labour Students won't stray, but take the camera out of peoples' faces and it's a different story.

Obviously there was guarded caution around the bear, however the only plotting that TB sniffed out was plans for the post election days. It seems the party has, surprisingly gracefully, accepted defeat. Who will take over the party in May is already dominating conversation. Mandy's speech yesterday was discussed but with very little enthusiasm. It may have put fire in some bellies but outside of the bubble would it really have made that much difference? It was a good speech, an excellent conference speech, but a game-changer? No.

There is no energy, no buzz here. TB went along to the

Labourlist

drinks last night which were a good laugh and he is very grateful to them for having him. While he was there he was asked how Labour conference compared to the tories. In terms of activity it was identical, the fringe meetings, old friends meeting each other, chatting at the bar, however the air of eager anticipation that have defined the last two tory conferences, and will no doubt dominate Manchester, is severely lacking here. In it's place is silent agreement that it's easier not to talk about the Prime Minister or how it could have been if the attempts to bring him down in the last year had played out differently.