Apart from a bright spark of hope in the victory of the Gaza motion, this year’s conference lacked vision and purpose — we need to urgently reconnect Labour with its roots rather than weakly aping the flag-waving right, argues KIM JOHNSON MP

AN MP who is one of Rishi Sunak’s key backers also works for a PR firm implicated in distributing an anti-Sunak “mucky memo.”
Liam Fox is an important supporter, speaking out in support of Sunak from the start of the campaign. Fox is a long-standing figure on the right of the party, so his support for Sunak, who is perceived as leaning slightly to the Tory “left,” is important.
Fox’s support indicated Sunak could call on all wings of the Tories: it was useful because Sunak faced challengers perceived as being on the more “headbanging” right, like Priti Patel and his final challenger, Liz Truss. Fox denied he had been promised a Cabinet job by Sunak, although he would clearly welcome a return to a top position.

The new angle from private firms shmoozing their way into public contracts was the much-trumpeted arrival of ‘artificial intelligence’ — and no-one seemed to have heard the numerous criticisms of this unproven miracle cure, reports SOLOMON HUGHES

It is rather strange that Labour continues to give prestigious roles to inappropriate, controversy-mired businessmen who are also major Tory donors. What could Labour possibly be hoping to get out of it, asks SOLOMON HUGHES

Keir Starmer’s hiring Tim Allan from Tory-led Strand Partners is another illustration of Labour’s corporate-influence world where party differences matter less than business connections, writes SOLOMON HUGHES

MBDA’s Alabama factory makes components for Boeing’s GBU-39 bombs used to kill civilians in Gaza. Its profits flow through Stevenage to Paris — and it is one of the British government’s favourite firms, reveals SOLOMON HUGHES