|
Eerily quiet... |
GORDON Brown should be worried.
The number of stalls in the Conference Hall has plummetted since last year.
Nobody struggled to get a seat at the bar last night, and most opted for an early night.
This is the biggest sign yet that the balance of power is shifting from Labour to the Tories.
Big businesses and lobby groups just aren't that bothered about Labour anymore. They can't be bothered to pay for a stall, and they can't be bothered to stay up all night schmoozing.
I've been talking to representatives from lobby groups and companies, they they say their clients are no longer fussed about Labour. Instead they are gearing up for the Tory conference next week.
They want to concentrate on getting in with the party who will win the next election. And the big players are convinced it will be David Cameron in the hot seat.
In Birmingham next week the conference hall will be packed, the bars will be buzzing all night and organisations will be jostling to get their voices heard.
It's as if the Tories have already won the election.
Labour MPs - especially those who are hanging on to their seats by a narrow margin of votes - will be worried they could be out of a job after the next election.
They know how important this conference is for Labour.
So you can bet your bottom dollar after conference the knives will be out again for Brown.