Arriving at the Labour Party conference for the first time feels like being pulled into a political whirlwind. For four days you are tossed around a storm of speeches, fringe debates, receptions and exhibitions before being catapulted out the other side a physically sorrier state than you entered. So now that I’ve recovered? I loved every minute of it.
You can’t help but notice the scale of attention being paid to the party’s seaside visit. Just browsing through the conference guide induces panic at the thought of not being able to take advantage of all that’s on offer. You are then required to run the gauntlet of publicists at the entrance to the venue, which turns out to be a daily battle. The physical tete a tete isn’t over until you’ve passed security, but once inside, the fraternal atmosphere strikes you immediately and is captifying.
The first impression of the main conference hall was how much effort had gone into its appearance. It was glitzy and professional and the stage was the undeniable focus of the lights, cameras and delegates. In an era of stage managed, media savvy political communications, this is the prerequisite of any ambitious political party, but an impressive one none the less.
The gossip, anticipation and two hours of queuing are obvious clues that the leader’s speech is the zenith of the whole operation. After being introduced to the audience, Tony Blair’s entrance was delayed by five minutes of music, political slogans and applause. With no previous conference to compare this entrance to, my thoughts immediately turned to the razzmatazz of the political conventions in America.
However, there is a tendency for reservedness in the British psyche which made the build up slightly tongue-in-cheek. The fact that this speech was being watched nationwide had a peculiar effect on the conference hall. The people handpicked to sit behind Tony Blair during his speech looked stiff and petrified as if one scratch of the nose will bring immediate banishing to the dungeons from party organisers.
The knife-edge atmosphere was all too apparent to me given my unfortunate position on the balcony between the lone Iraqi protester and the pro-hunt mob. A subsequent move on my part to grab a notebook was met with the intimidating glare of fifteen or so security guards. Needless to say I sat still for the rest of the speech.
The use of conference as a media opportunity has had a tremendous impact on the purpose of conference and its role within the party. The traditional role of conference to debate and subsequently implement the party’s annual policy platform seemed to be irrelevant. The action on the conference floor was thus a pretence and it is clear that policy-making is done away from conference. To prevent simmering discontent that was present in various factions – trade unions, CLPs, associated organisations – from boiling over seemed to be the overriding objective.
Indeed Blair spent much time visiting trade union meetings appealing for unity, a scenario that no doubt had veteran Labour campaigners of the pre-modernisation era shifting uncomfortably in their seats. And a pattern emerged throughout conference of this group voting en bloc over certain key motions including the emergency debate on the war and the motion to renationalise the railways.
As a non-delegate, I felt the most rewarding aspects of the conference took place away from the confines of the conference hall. The fringe is a fantastic arena for debate where the government and all interested parties can openly engage and exchange views on wide ranging contemporary political topics. With the formal business of conference being played out in the main hall in front of the cameras, the fringe is where the real nitty-gritty debates take place in a modern party conference. Debates were certainly heated and the subject matter intellectually vigorous that penetrating the heart of the issues.
In terms of political engagement, there can be nothing better than the party conference. Away from the media machine, this is where party members and activists can get ‘close’ to government, where they can voice their concerns and where government can promote their message. In terms of your health, there cannot be a lot worse, but it is only once a year after all!