Abandoned Ship in Brighton
There is hardly anybody left at the Labour conference here in Brighton.
Most people left yesterday or even earlier in the week. At 6pm last night there were only two people in the bar of the Old Ship, which is usually a bustling hotel during a Labour conference.
Party officials are today denying that they have been shipping in party activists to fill the empty seats in the hall.
It would be too difficult to get last-minute security clearance, they say, and process their conference passes.
However several local activists have told me that last week party officials were phoning individual party members at home and urging them to come to Brighton today, and offering them free admission.
This would have given the party enough time to get secure clearance and credentials processed.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 1st Oct 2009, JunkkMale wrote:Most people left yesterday or even earlier in the...
I will resist a temporal suggestion lest I be ripped into or, worse, up, by those few who have stayed loyal and look like going down with the ship. But 'decade' does have a nice ring, especially for those seeking to be judged on the job they are going to do... whilst a smidge forgetful on the past 12 years.
Or, perhaps, waiting until those in steerage they well and truly shafted are six fathoms under and then, as the masthead slips below, daintily skipping to the few working lifeboats they kept handy and in good order (love those golden, index-linked pension funded-by whom's?)... along with the band members still playing their tune.
Until the next time. There is, always, sadly, a next time.
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Comment number 2.
At 1st Oct 2009, Anthony North wrote:Wind howls across a ghostly site,
The Labour Party has the blight,
Everyone's gone home, having a kip,
Like rats deserting the sinking Old Ship
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Comment number 3.
At 1st Oct 2009, leftieoddbod wrote:the ship may be sinking, the crew in the sea, but look is that Dave and the Bullingdon three, 'can you throw us a line we shout from the briny, Sod off says Dave looking so shiney, we've no room on our liner and you can't pay the fee, don't look for Gordon...he's in the Lords having tea...
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Comment number 4.
At 1st Oct 2009, Quietzapple wrote:They missed some good speeches.
The only time I attended a Labour conference I sloped off early too.
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