Back from Conference

Like most Assembly Members - of all parties - I could only visit our annual conference for a couple of days as we were in session today, unlike those slackers people in Westminster. The MEPs flew back off to Strasbourg this morning as well.

This year, the Rhondda Labour Party had its own fringe meeting, about renewing the appeal to Labour's heartlands, with Peter Hain, David Miliband, Billy Bragg and Jane Davidson speaking, which attracted quite a bit of Welsh media interest.

I enjoyed Gordon Brown's speech - he is starting to outline an agenda for the future, which is attractive. I wouldn't go quite as far as my good friend Jessica Morden MP though. I see Jess has stolen my joke - that in view of certain comments made about us in Wales recently, we should rename the conference's Welsh night party - and call it 'effing' Welsh night. Yep, I am effing Welsh. Effing proud of it too.