The next set of major elections facing the Labour Party will be in Scotland and Wales in eight months, so to the Scottish reception last night. It was hosted by Douglas Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Scotland (when he's not being Secretary of State for Transport) and Jack McConnell MSP, First Minister of Scotland.
Both Douglas and Jack highlighted the importance of fighting the nationalist parties in these elections. Douglas' analysis was stark: the choice before the voters in both cases will be a choice between Labour-led executives seeking third terms, and political parties who base their values around the 'politics of difference'. Nationalist parties instinctively eek out differences in people, after all; that is their raison d'etre.
But the lessons of fighting the 'politics of difference' in Scotland and Wales are not lessons confined to Holyrood and Cardiff bay - they are lessons that can be learnt across the UK. It reminds us - and must remind us - of the importance of unity, the importance of Labour having broad appeal right across the spectrum of British voters - and, above all, the imperative to remember what unites our communities, not what divide them.
Although we're only in the second day of conference, the overriding discussion and debate in the conference hall, the fringes and the bars is just that. Unlike opposition parties north and south of the border, the debate here in Manchester not how the Labour Party can best divide communities - but how we can bring communities together and provide the best possible services to them.
I'm looking forward to hearing three more days of debate about just how we do that.
