Video: Labour conference in 60 seconds flat

Jeremy Corbyn delivered his first party conference speech as Labour leader, while his shadow cabinet encouraged MPs to rally around their new leader and promised a “new style of politics”.
Jeremy Corbyn sings 'The Red Flag'  alongside Diana Holland, Margaret Beckett and Jim Kennedy at the end of the Labour party conferenceJeremy Corbyn sings 'The Red Flag'  alongside Diana Holland, Margaret Beckett and Jim Kennedy at the end of the Labour party conference
Jeremy Corbyn sings 'The Red Flag' alongside Diana Holland, Margaret Beckett and Jim Kennedy at the end of the Labour party conference

Watch the video to see the week’s events compresses into a tight minute.

Meanwhile, here are six things we expected from Jeremy Corbyn’s first speech on the New Politics....

1) LET’S PLAY NICE

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Corbyn is no stranger to giving large audiences a verbal hug, and this week was no different in a feelgood speech delighting new members. His keynote address to conference set out that he wants a kinder politics, a more caring society, which he said are fundamental Labour values.

And what these ‘kind’ values that underpin the New Politics?

The are ‘fair play for all’, ‘solidarity’ and ‘not walking by on the other side of the street when people are in trouble’ apparently.

2) PATRIOTISM

After being thoroughly criticised for failing to sing the national anthem at the memorial service for the Battle of Britain, his speech writing team got him by the scruff of his tie-less neck with instructions to pledge love for Britain.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said he loves the country and is driven by British majority values. He’s after Middle England...but will they buy it?

3) THE AUDIENCE WILL LOVE IT...

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jeremy Corbyn went down a storm in the church halls and community centres of England on his summer leadership election campaign tour. John McDonnell got a very warm reception as he set out his plan for a New Economics. But look carefully and the biggest cheers are coming from the balconies in the Brighton conference centre, and that’s the place where the majority of the new members, and the £3 members will be sitting.

4) POLICIES

Beyond the warm fuzzy kind and cuddly dream of a nicer society, Mr Corbyn is under a great deal of pressure to come up with some tangible policies. It’s such early days for the party, and the shadow cabinet clearly split on major ideas it’s hard to see what he will be able to produce that will sit well with all. There will be much discussion of ‘widening the debate’, but in terms of ideas he could play with an offer for parents, early years care, education and women’s rights without annoying too many of his team.

5) DON’T BRING UP THE PAST...

Discussing what went wrong at the General Election has seemed like a strictly off limits discussion point at conference from the leadership. Jeremy Corbyn didn’t dwell on Labour’s performance in May and instead focused on what’s happened since then and his enormous mandate, which he likes to remind people of as much as possible.

Poor Margaret Beckett has been left to officially rake over the two successive defeats - what a job.

6) AUTOCUE

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With a tendency to ramble, this keynote address will be the first time he has spoken with an autocue. He had been practising with a press team in the back apparently. There were nerves about how it would go, as he’s someone who very much enjoys addressing people directly and giving good eye contact.