精东影视

A slightly down at heel high street, which has seen better days: that was the impression walking around the exhibition at this year鈥檚 Labour Party conference.

When Tony Blair was in his pomp, this section of the conference was crammed with stalls paid for by the great and good of the corporate world, who were keen to get that little bit closer to what looked for a few years like the natural party of goverenment.

These days though, the hall has a very different feel, which tells us a lot about how Labour鈥檚 relationship with business has changed since it went into opposition in 2010. A big chunk of the stalls are taken up by charities, much like the many high streets that have been colonised by the same organisations鈥� trading arms over recent years. It鈥檚 an environment that the party鈥檚 re-elected leader Jeremy Corbyn probably feels eminently comfortable in.

But while many on the left might see this no show as evidence of business reverting to Tory type, for many Labour鈥檚 remoteness from government is the biggest turn off. This sentiment is likely to have been exacerbated by last weekend鈥檚 re-election of Corbyn despite his historically low poll ratings.

John Healey, who is tipped to return as Labour鈥檚 housing spokesperson after joining the mass walk-out by the shadow cabinet during the summer, continues to do sterling work in hammering out policy in one of the few areas that unites his party鈥檚 warring tribes.

However, for the first time in living memory, the real energy at this year鈥檚 conference has surrounded the party鈥檚 local representatives. Sadiq Khan was greeted like a conquering hero at a fringe reception last night by delegates applauding his victory in May鈥檚 London mayoral election. And those who have been selected to fight Labour鈥檚 corner at the first wave of metro-mayoral contests next year in the west midlands, Greater Manchester and Liverpool, have been packing out halls.

Healey noted at one meeting that Labour鈥檚 path back to power runs through local goverment. Even that idea may look optimistic, given the opposition party鈥檚 current plight. With big hitters like Khan and Andy Burnham taking posts outside of Westminster, Labour looks a lot more relevant at a local level these days though.

David Blackman is a freelance journalist and former 精东影视 housing editor