My new best friends are the young people ‘manning’ the exhibition stall promoting the Nuclear industry. (NIA) Somewhat controversially I have been supporting them and visit daily, but dear reader, they have a system of lockers where you can charge your mobile phone safely and securely- you lock the door, pocket the key and off you go. I don’t think I am directly connected to Sellafield.
Getting into conversation with one of them, it transpires that he is taking his girlfriend for a weekend to Shrigley Hall. She is looking forward to the Spa, but I was able to tell this enthusiastic golfer that he could indulge his hobby also. Perhaps I shouldn’t have mentioned that they do wedding there and she may be casing the joint. The exhibitors are not necessarily Labour supporters, (though I am doing my best with the Nuclear boys) In my Hotel are some delegates from Ealing and they have discovered one of their Tory Councillors has sneaked in under the Radar and is on one of the exhibition stalls. It’s thought it might be something to do with opticians ( Tory, therefore myopic? Geddit?)
As the conference proceeds, I bump into people I have met previously, sat next to or asked advice from. It’s wonderful to hang out with the like-minded and there is a great feeling of community and a will to do something about the many injustices in the land. Many of the delegates and prospective Labour Parliamentary Candidates seem so young -similarly the police, so it’s not surprising to find detailed talk of last nights Karaoke, or tonight’s Disco going on. I was back at the Hotel watching Damian McBride in confessional mode, on Newsnight. Today is sunny and very warm. It seems a shame to be indoors, but the future Prime Minister is speaking later and I don’t want to miss that!