Review of Sunday

Conference formally began on Sunday, although many delegates had come down for the first fringe events on Saturday evening. Women's Conference was also held on Saturday - so a large number were here for both the Women's and Main Conference.

I only arrived on Sunday, towards the end of the morning session (thanks to a faster than expected journey across London), and immediately bumped into a number of friends. Conference tends to capture you - after your first visit - often as a delegate or a Candidate (my first conference was days after being selected as Parliamentary candidate for Blaby in 2000), you are keen to return. I usually find that I come home stimulated (though tired) after fringe meetings which allow discussion on any issue under the sun; and talking with party members. I also have a worrying tendency to make multiple visits to a bookshop within the conference - and learn much from talking to the various exhibitors - from charities, to unions, to companies across all sectors of the economy. In the plenary sessions we get a range of speeches - from leading politicians to ordinary party members, talking about their own experiences. Over the years you build a number of friendships across the country, which are renewed the next conference you attend.

My first fringe this year was a rally for Europe. Alan Johnson kicked off with an amusing but inciteful sppech - followed by many others pointing out the importance of our membership of the European Union. It was really encouraging to see that this year, there was standing room only.

In the evening, I was being stalked by new leader Jeremy Corbyn and deputy leader Tom Watson. Every event I went to, they both turned up and made speeches act. Many events on Sunday are social - such as the Welsh, West Midlands & Association of Labour Councillor's receptions. There were also serious meetings, such as the one I attended on education.

I finished the evening at athe Brighton Dome Concert Hall. Eddie Izzard gave a bizarre and hilarious monologue for an hour - which was a super end to the day.

This post was written as I prepare for a morning fringe meeting - which will address the question, "Can the education system close the character gap?

I hope to be tweeting during the day using the name @jdm_progressive and hashtag #Lab15