You there, Labour scroat, get in that hall now ...

Frankly, it is a little thin on the ground at the Labour Spring conference in Birmingham. A smattering of ministers (Kevin Brennan, Ben Bradshaw) on the floor. Gordon seems to outnumber them with advisers including Stephen Carter, presumably his first major Labour outing as intellectual bag-carrier to the PM. In fact, the organisers are so worried about it looking thin on TV that they have ordered Labour staffers to sit in the hall when they aren't busy. And there is a suitably officious official (the best sort), called Alan Olive, reprimanding journalists having whispered conversations at the back of the floor because the hall is so empty of delegates that they are worried about the sound carrying.

It's bash Boris day, as the sharp-quilled yet perfectly attired Broganblog has highlighted. The attack dogs today are Hazel Blears and Tessa Jowell. Both formerly strong Blairites, they nevertheless get the "leftie-ometer" ringing with quite vicious class attacks on Boris and "Dave". It seems that if you can't do left, do class.

Hazel, in particular, related a frankly rather unpleasant tale of how she ambushed Daid Cameron at Salford Lads Club. He was there to get an autograph from members of The Smiths, who were performing. So the Communities Secretary organised an ambush mob with signs saying "Oi Dave - Eton's Lads' Club is 300 miles that way" and "Salford Lads not Eton snobs". He was forced out of the back door and went home without an autograph.

And that night I sent him a photo of me outside Salford Lads Club, with greetings from Salford!

Charming...

Comments

[Iain Lindley]

Of course, Hazel's pathetic little stunt backfired badly. Channel M scoured the estate and couldn't find a single local resident who supported the protest...

http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2008/01/11/cameron-in-salford-on-video/

[B.Garvie]

The same old rhetoric from the same old tired Labour Party.They have singularly failed to impress. No wonder their own MPs stay away from Conference.

Don't they wish they could recapture the cunning ways they achieved office. They are now seen as a spent force anxiously gathering as many perks as they can before being exposed.

[Diane, London]

The Labour Party ... are they desperate, or what???

They are about to lose all their cars and perks and allowances and they are running scared.

What is it about Labour MPs that they are unable to handle power and money with any style or class ...

[k. harrop]

Maybe they can't stand to listen to more empty drivel from a man they don't respect.
Nasty little people all of them led by Brown the incompetant clown interested in nothing but power and the destruction of our country.
The story Hazel Blears is so proud of just proves what a nasty little _ she is not how working class or down to earth she is.
It is the workers of this country these people really despise having done everything they can to destroy their living standards.

[Chris Paul]

Don't any of your commenters find it pathetic that Cameron has been running these stunts in Salford and in Wythenshawe and so on?

At the last general election Cam's tories but up Griselda Cash the socialite daughter of Bill Cash as opposition to Hazel Blears. It is hard to think of a greater sign of lack of self awareness and toff over-confidence than that.