Gordon finds his feet (and a costly vision for the future)

Unusually for any modern set-piece political speech, there was no news story from today's address by GB to Labour's Spring Conference, either in the pre-briefing or final text. Perhaps that is because the real story of today was the style and manner of the speech itself.

Very different in tone from his poor first conference in September, he has sharpened both his language and how to communicate what he stands for. More fluid, coherent and (again unlike last September) no major attempt to please people beyond the hall*. (Just as well, since the rolling news is focused firmly on Prince Harry after the first 20 minutes.) A touch of gentle humour. It benefited by being, for once, not an election speech.

Today's message: while Tony Blair stood for aspiration and reinforcing the safety net, Gordon's credo is social mobility and "unlocking all of the talents of all of the people". In a word, opportunity.

In many ways this is a much more ambitious, challenging aspiration than Blair's but it is also one that will require more state intervention. Apprenticeship schemes. Skills. Early years plans. Micro-strategies. How do you unlock the talents of someone who is third generation on benefits? It is probably more expensive. Perhaps even impossible. It gets a "medium/high" on the leftie-rating scale.

Today's speech was also significant for what it was not. Unlike last September, there was no lecture on Britishness, no sabre-rattling on security, no homily about his parents and upbringing and no more "moral compass". Several over-focused-grouped clunky phrases are clearly on the way out, including the awful public services "personal to you", which featured 14 times in September but came up just once today.

Stephen Carter and his army of Trinny and Susannah makeover experts have been hard at work. As a result we saw a little bit of New Gordon. They will probably be pleased with their work.

*He didn't entirely succeed in winning the hall: his continued failure to back union calls for agency worker safeguards disproportionately annoys those at spring conference.

Comments

[Bryan Davies]

What no "we are concerned" or "we have made it clear" or "lessons will be learnt" Almost forgot "tough decisions and all that etc etc" but no action.

Whilst GB may be mingling with the converted is there no appreciation of what the majority of the people feel about this Government and its policies. Is it la la land?

[Chuck Unsworth]

"no major attempt to please people beyond the hall".

Just as well, in the light of "He didn't entirely succeed in winning the hall", eh?

"It benefited by being, for once, not an election speech."

So, what was the point? To unify the troops? Well, he's failed yet again, clearly. Let's be frank, all Brown's speeches are election speeches. His real problem is knowing when to call one.

Stephen Carter et al will certainly be pleased with their work - they dare not do otherwise. Mind you they'll be even more pleased when the invoices are paid.