Papers reflect on Brown's speech

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Cherie Blair's alleged indiscretion overshadows Gordon Brown's conference speech on many of the front pages.

The Daily Telegraph plays out the events in its headline: "Brown: It's been a privilege to work with Tony Blair. Cherie: Well, that's a lie."

The Daily Mail's headline says "Cherie rains on Gordon's parade" while the Guardian reports it was "the remark that wrecked Gordon's day".

But the Times declares Mr Brown made peace with at least one of the Blairs.

'Low-key'

The Sun's headline is "Cherie in the Brown stuff" but in an editorial the paper describes the incident as a farcical, one-woman protest.

The Sun says Downing Street is close to Mr Brown's grasp after he deliberately delivered a "low-key" address to avoid being seen as triumphalist.

The row, meanwhile, is relegated to page 10 of the Daily Mirror.

Focusing on Mr Brown's speech, the paper says he has cleared the first hurdle in the race for the top job.

'Carefully crafted'

The Independent believes Mr Brown staked his claim to be the next Labour leader with a competent and confident performance.

The Guardian says the speech contained "plenty of box ticking as well as forced nods" but enough substance to keep Mr Brown as front-runner.

There were carefully crafted efforts and painstaking choreography to make peace between Mr Blair and Mr Brown, the Times notes.

But the Telegraph concluded there was little to cause David Cameron concern.

'Doubts'

The Mail says the most impressive parts of the speech were those in which Mr Brown outlined what made him "tick".

If he brings the qualities of "decency and integrity" to government, it can only be an improvement, it adds.

Under the headline "New Labour's not for turning", the Morning Star says the pitch for the top job was a keynote speech promoting privatisation and war.

The Financial Times says Mr Brown did little to clear up doubts about what a government led by him would do.