The speech

Well I don't know about anyone else but Gordon's speech was the best political speech I've heard in ever so long. Never mind about just doing enough to secure his job, it was like a call to arms to not just the Labour Party but for the country.

He did what he said he would: he faced down the criticisms, he explained his vision and he called the Tories out. But it was also moving. No really!

It was touching, when he said he was proud to be Sarah's husband, everyone felt moved. And when he talked about his experiences of the NHS and his eyesight, you heard the fears, hopes and pain of that time in his life. But it wasn't just about the oratory.

He did what I hoped he would do, he explained exactly why Labour's progressive values matter, what they mean in real life to real people and therefore why we have to fight for them. He then, and most importantly, set out what those values demand that we do next - policy but individual policy. Yes it was long (I wish I had got a seat earlier!), but it covered everything. Health, crime and justice, education, the whole lot. And he mentioned the whole cabinet individually, emphasising the teamwork.

Over the next days (and I truly think, if it is met by actions, over a long number of years) people will pore over that speech and say it framed a new chapter in our progress. It set out what we're fighting for, why we fight for it and why the Tories aren't up to the challenge. Cameron will say it is all unaffordable, but he'll miss the point, it's what the people want so we must find a way to get it to them.

So yes, ok let's be pragmatic. It was a political speech. But the challenge for progressives is now not to abdicate our responsibility and simply to demand from Gordon and the rest. We now need to do the work ourselves. We have the vision, now we need the action.

Vincenzo Rampulla

Comments

[Barry Williams]

It was good if you forget that he has been in power for 11 years.

Its good if your forget that he is responsible for the economic mismanagement over the last 11 years that has deepened the downturn into a recession.

Its good if you forget that we have heard it all before.

Its good if you forget that he is capable of talking a good game but action is very dififerent.

Its good if you forget his very real personal shortcomings.