Party Conferences 2008
Welcome to the New Statesman's party conferences site with a complete rundown of the events we've run in 2008 plus our conference blog
Click here to listen to podcasts from any of the events
Conference Blog
Blears joins the Tories
- By Hazel Blears
- 01 October 2008
Surprise in Birmingham as government minister Hazel Blears turns up at the Tory conference only to sense a whiff of hubris. Well more than a whiff...
Sombre Tories
- By Grant Shapps
- 01 October 2008
'The mood has been somewhat sombre as the first priority is to ensure stability in the banking and financial system' - Grant Shapps on this year's Tory conference
Tackling homelessness
- By Grant Shapps
- 29 September 2008
'It is vital that this conference demonstrates our commitment to change; that we set out our plan for that change and that we offer real solutions,' argues Grant Shapps
Yet to seal the deal
- By Eric Pickles
- 27 September 2008
Manchester was a brutal and sometimes chaotic week, but the prospects for the forthcoming Conservative conference are altogether different ... but they're taking nothing for granted writes Eric Pickles
Brown's comeback
- By Jessica Asato
- 23 September 2008
In all it was a well-executed speech for a Prime Minister under siege and as ministers and activists pore over the detail in the weeks to come, it may well provide the starting point for a wider debate about the direction of the government and party.
The need for 'narrative'
- By Jessica Asato
- 23 September 2008
Labour needs to devise, and agree, a vision of the changes we wish to bring about in our country in the next decade and how we will achieve them.
Time to rein in the wreckless
- By Chris Leslie
- 22 September 2008
Former Labour minister turned thinktank chief Chris Leslie gives his reaction to Alistair Darling's conference speech in Manchester
A bold vision?
- By Ben Davies
- 22 September 2008
The talk at conference, a desire to hear a bold vision from Gordon Brown and Charles Clarke's current unpopularity
Trouble in Manchester
- By Matthew Taylor
- 22 September 2008
The RSA's Matthew Taylor on the whispering cabinet minister, an antagonisic local and the train that doubled as a fridge
Miliband: We can win the election
- By David Miliband
- 22 September 2008
Foreign Secretary David Miliband urges Labour to defend its record, be candid about its strengths and weaknesses and show why David Cameron's plans are the new con. Plus the RSA's Matthew Taylor on trouble in Manchester
More from the Conference Blog
Blears: Tough times
- By Hazel Blears
- 19 September 2008
It seems clearer every day the Chancellor’s assessment of the trajectory of the world economy was correct - we need to show the country we're addressing the challenges
Hacking Sarah Palin
- By Paul Evans
- 19 September 2008
Not often getting many thrills, the Lib Dems were keen to have tuppence worth on the conference scrap plus hacking Sarah Palin's Yahoo...
Booing Lembit
- By Paul Evans
- 18 September 2008
The new nasty party or the party of making it happen? Paul Evans gives his assessment of the annual Lib Dem conference
Bye to Bournemouth
- By Lembit Opik
- 17 September 2008
Lembit Opik returns to newstatesman.com's Conference 2008 blog to share his thoughts about how the Lib Dem Dem annual gathering has gone
'Popular, radical but realistic policies'
- By Don Foster
- 16 September 2008
'I do know that that we have been hitting the right buttons on issues that matter to ordinary people. Certainly our policies on tax cuts for average and low income households have been well received,' writes Don Foster.
Joining the Lib Dems...
- By Ben Davies
- 16 September 2008
Conference season sees various New Statesman staff dashing around the country to take part in fringe events. Here Ben Davies surfaces briefly in Bournemouth
Economist to superhero?
- By Jo Swinson
- 15 September 2008
The East Dunbartonshire MP and foreign affairs spokeswoman on juggling her commitments at conference - from parties to training sessions to the odd speech. Oh and some words of praise for fellow blogger, Vince Cable
'Reintroducing fairness'
- By Vincent Cable
- 15 September 2008
'By cutting taxes for those on low and middle incomes, and taking the poorest out of tax altogether, we will finally be able to return a sense of fairness to the tax system,' writes Vince Cable
Lembit for president...
- By Lembit Opik
- 15 September 2008
An upbeat Lembit Opik reports how his fellow Lib Dems are in a mood of irrepressible confidence sure they're going to be in government...
Someone else's crisis
- By Peter Black
- 14 September 2008
A unique experience for a Liberal Democrat Conference in recent years, another party is having the leadership crisis, not us. What will the media talk about now?
