It's the last day of the last Labour conference before the next general election - has Gordon Brown succeeded in rallying his troops? Or was the week ultimately overshadowed by The Sun's decision to drop its support for Labour? Deputy leader Harriet Harman will close the conference - a role John Prescott used to relish - and will be seeking to send activists home with fire in their bellies, ready to start pounding the streets during the election campaign. href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8283989.stm">We can turn it round, says Brown
Operation Fightback, as the conference was branded, began with a barnstorming performance by Lord Mandelson and a rallying cry by Gordon Brown. However, the defection of the Sun came as a blow, despite ministers' best efforts to dismiss it as inconsequential. Foreign Secretary David Miliband claimed activists were sent home with a "song to sing and hymn to hum" and renewed focus for the election campaign. Whether the country's passion for Labour was also reignited remains to be seen. href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8285010.stm"> Did conference do the trick for Brown?
Oh Lordy - Lord Mandelson cemented his return to frontline politics with a rabble-rousing speech on Monday. He insisted the election was still "up for grabs" and said if he could come back from the political wilderness, so could Labour. His announcement about extending the car scrappage scheme was all but eclipsed by discussions about the party's new-found love for the one time Prince of Darkness. href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8279053.stm">Election up for grabs - Mandelson
European Labour Party report by Glenis Willmott, Labour's leader in the European Parliament.
Britain in the World by International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander, Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth.
Budgets and bonuses - After a speech heavy on spending pledges and light on budgetary detail, the PM inevitably faced questions about how he would pay for his big ideas. Especially as only a day earlier Alistair Darling had vowed to introduce new legislation to require the government to demonstrate how the country's deficit was being reduced every year. The chancellor also used his speech to declare that automatic annual bonuses for bankers were a thing of the past. class="inlineText" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8277838.stm">Labour should be proud - Darling
Closing speech by Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman.
Sundown - Just hours after Mr Brown's big moment, the Sun newspaper announced it was switching its allegiance to the Tories. "Labour's lost it," said the front page. One by one, Cabinet members dismissed the defection as unimportant - David Miliband did it best when he said: "The earth does revolve around the sun, but not the one printed in Wapping." class="inlineText" href="/2/hi/uk_news/8281859.stm">Brown defiant after Sun rejection
WORD TROUBLE
Tackling disorder - Anti-social behaviour made a return to the political agenda, after the sad case of Fiona Pilkington and her daughter came to light. Home Secretary Alan Johnson admitted Labour had "coasted a bit" on the issue, but outlined new measures on "problem families" and alcohol-related disorder which he said would tackle it head on. class="inlineText" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8279964.stm">Johnson pledge to tackle disorder
"Education, education, education" - that was the New Labour mantra. Unfortunately, that zeal doesn't seem to have included spelling if the party's latest party broadcast is anything to go by. Several viewers have contacted the BBC to point out that instead of championing "educational maintenance allowances" - the video actually misspells the word "eductional". The broadcast aired on Wednesday night, but it can still be seen, complete with gaffe, on the Labour Party website.
WHO SAYS WE'RE GLOOMY
CONFERENCE ROUND-UP
Ed Balls, Ben Bradshaw, Peter Mandelson and David Miliband see the lighter side of Operation Fightback (Pics: AP)
Tim Kelsey - an adviser to the NHS - told a fringe meeting that a growing "surveillance state" was in many circumstances "a jolly good thing". More gathering of personal data on patients and staff could save lives and money, he said. href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8283240.stm">Surveillance state 'a good thing'
Talking telly - On Wednesday, the PM told the BBC he had decided whether or not to take part in a televised debate with his election opponents - but wouldn't tell the country what that decision was. His cryptic remarks came after David Cameron accused him of "dithering" over the issue and demanded he "bring it on". href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8282144.stm">PM 'has made TV debate decision'
The Two Eddies: Izzard introduced Balls on Wednesday
Word trouble: "Education, education, education" was the New Labour mantra, and it does seem that there's a bit more work to be done. Viewers contacted the BBC after an election broadcast on Wednesday in which the word "educational" was mistakenly spelt "eductional".
Sage advice - Deidre Sanders - best known as Dear Deidre, the Sun's agony aunt - was due to speak at a fringe event with Ed Balls about relationship breakdowns but the paper's own relationship breakdown with the Labour Party appears to have got in the way. The audience was told she would not be taking part "for diplomatic reasons" and were read a note from her saying staying away "was thought best" in the circumstances.
Ripping yarn - Unite joint general secretary Tony Woodley drew cheers on Wednesday afternoon when he angrily tore up a copy of the Sun. Alluding to the Sun's unpopularity on Merseyside over the Hillsborough tragedy, Mr Woodley said the entire country should follow Liverpool's lead and junk the paper.
Smoke signals - There appeared to be a rare victory for the Tobacco Retailers' Alliance this week. They began the conference with their stall placed under a sign saying The Killers (the indie band are forthcoming attraction at the Brighton centre). After declaring it "not very helpful", the banner was replaced less than 24 hours later with one promoting the Labour Party.
Deidre Sanders - best known as Dear Deidre, the Sun's agony aunt - was due to speak at a fringe event with Ed Balls about relationship breakdowns but the paper's own relationship breakdown with the Labour Party appears to have got in the way. The audience was told she would not be taking part "for diplomatic reasons" and were read a note from her saying staying away "was thought best" in the circumstances.
CHUMPGATE
Lord Mandelson was in typically impish form, when being questioned by reporters about whether he had used a very rude word in a late night phone call to News International executive Rebekah Brooks (nee Wade) over The Sun's decision to stop backing Gordon Brown. "What c-word? Cuts?," he said, affecting bafflement. Sure, he had made a call to Rebekah on Tuesday night but he had told her The Sun were being a "bunch of chumps"....
STRIKING A CHORD
"The world will be better for this, that one man scorned and covered with scars, still strove with his last ounce of courage." Lesley Garratt must have thought she had hit the right note with her choice of song for Labour's big gala dinner on Tuesday night. But we would have like to have seen Gordon Brown's face when she reached the chorus: "To dream the impossible dream..."
RIPPING YARN
Tony Woodley rips up a copy of The Sun with "Labour's Lost it" front page
Unite general secretary Tony Woodley drew cheers on Wednesday afternoon when he angrily tore up a copy of the Sun. Responding to the paper's about-turn on allegiance, he asked what business proprietor Rupert Murdoch had in trying to interfere in British politics. Alluding to the Sun's unpopularity on Merseyside over the Hillsborough tragedy, Mr Woodley said the entire country should follow Liverpool's lead and junk the paper. The politics of UK newspapers
QUESTION TIME?
Gordon Brown has told the BBC he has decided whether or not to take part in a televised debate with his elections opponents. However, those of you eager to know what that decision is will have to wait - the PM says now is not "the right time" to fill you in. On Tuesday, David Cameron accused Mr Brown of "dithering" and "bottling" over the issue - this cryptic announcement is unlikely to silence him. PM 'has made TV debate decision'
