Conference 2008

A few days have now passed since this year’s Party Conference and I’m happy to look back and reflect on what an excellent one it was.

As ever, it was a great opportunity to meet Labour members from all over the country, catch up with some constituents and discuss events in Northern Ireland.

But the Party Conference is not just a talking shop. It’s where this Government re-draws the battle lines in the fight for Britain’s future – and reminds people that Labour is the only party to win it.

In the Conference area, I attended events concerning matters such as child poverty, local transport, equality, human rights, new industry and social re-generation. All key items on this government’s ongoing agenda for a fair society. A fair Britain.

On the Conference podium, we saw Ed Balls talking about a fair chance in life for every child. Andy Burnham launching cultural and sporting opportunities for all. The Chancellor talking about maintaining the stable economy that is essential to building a fairer country. Alan Johnson reflecting on how the NHS is a bridge between the rhetoric of justice and the fact of justice.

The government, united in its belief in fairness. From speaker to speaker, an emphasis on why only Labour can be trusted to unite Britain and guide it through these tough times – and come out of them even stronger.

And this was no better emphasised by our own Prime Minister, in his speech on Tuesday when he spoke of a new settlement for new times. A fair Britain for the new age.

The Prime Minister himself said that what angers him and inspires him to act is when people are treated unfairly. This is what Labour is all about: being on the side of those who need it most and on the side of hard-working families, as we always have been and always will be.

Again, I want to emphasise not just talk, but talk and action and delivery. We saw just before the Prime Minister’s speech decisive action to help secure the stability of the country’s economy: the merger of HBOS and Halifax; the end to speculation and short-selling. Days after Conference we have seen the nationalisation of Bradford & Bingley; and the Prime Minister has pledged to continue to do whatever it takes to stabilise our country and restore fairness to our society.

And as far as action and delivery go, no one appreciates more than myself what a power for enormous good a Labour government can be – as we have seen in 11 years of extraordinary success in settling the peaceful and prosperous future of Northern Ireland.

The Party Conference is always an enjoyable event. But this year the mood was more serious and more determined than ever. Government should be a force for fairness and a force for good – and there is no better time than now to illustrate why Labour is the only party in Britain which can be trusted to but this philosophy into practice.

That’s the message that resounded around the Conference Hall for me this year – but what did you think of events in Manchester?

P.S. I’d recommend taking a look at www.labour.org.uk/news for more info. on this year’s Conference and a chance to hear what all the key speaker had to say.