Labour’s new leader Ed Miliband delivered a decisive break with New Labour’s past and instilled a fresh optimism in his party on the direction of politics and policies.
In a speech which exceeded expectations in terms of its breadth of vision and changing priorities, Mr Miliband buried New Labour but, as one delegate put it, “with full military honours”.
He told conference that it was necessary for the party to be humble and acknowledge the mistakes of the past, the biggest being Iraq, a statement which visibly angered former Cabinet colleagues who voted for the war, including his brother David.
In spite of the departure of David Miliband from frontline politics – he failed to put his name forward for the Shadow Cabinet elections – the new leader faced a barrage of resentment among New Labour supports who attempted to de-legitimise the result, demonising him as a prisoner of the unions.
Ed Miliband is keen to avoid a split with those who feel Tony Blair’s legacy is in danger of being betrayed or the reopening of the long civil war for the soul of the party.
Although there was more support among party members in the hall for David as the result was announced, the majority of delegates left Manchester buoyed at what they saw as a fresh start.
“We’ve got our party back,,” said several delegates while another added: “His speech felt like a true Labour leader preparing to be a Labour Prime Minister.”
The focus will shift to the Shadow Cabinet elections, now under way, and the choice of Shadow Chancellor, expected to be Ed Balls.
In a key passage in his address to conference Mr Miliband confirmed that he shared Mr Balls’ view that the pace of reducing the national deficit should not be so fast that it endangers the chances of
recovery – a tacit agreement that the former Labour plan to halve the debt in four years was wrong.
The conference elected Ken Livingstone as the mayoral candidate for London and Unite’s Diana Holland as party treasurer. Both of their opponents, Oona King and John Prescott, demanded a change in the rules.
