Farewell to Room 28

HAVE arrived in Bournemouth ahead of most of the brothers and greeted by some shattering news. The hotel I have stayed at for the past 10 years is to close at the end of next week and will be demolished to make way for a block of flats. Disaster. Room 28 has been a home from home for me for party conferences of every hue. What will I do? I will have to find another Best Western which will put up with me and book me into a double room for single occupancy. I'm devastated!

The brothers I have met are all excited about an election "to fininish off the Tories once and for all. Go for it Gordon!" But what will B rown's new friend Lady T think of that? There again, perhaps she regards Cameron is a not one of us" Conservative.

There's an eerie silence about the Bournemouth International Centre. Few people here except technicians, exhibitors, and the Labour Party Press Officve. Monday will be chaos when Gordon speaks to the faithful - after that, the Armani suits will go back to their City desks, leaving the to deliberate over this and that composite just like the days of good Old Labour..