Star turn boosts Blair

BBC News Online political correspondent Nick Assinder offers his view on events at the Labour conference in Blackpool.

The last day of conference will feature the latest televised press conference by Tony Blair - who can now do these in his sleep - from Blackpool.

The morning session on the conference floor itself sees a couple of question and answer sessions on "schools and sport", led by Tessa Jowell and "the environment", with Margaret Beckett.

Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid will give a report on Northern Ireland.

Proceedings will be brought to a close by party chairman Charles Clarke who is expected to underpin the reforming message sent out by Tony Blair on Tuesday.

Just when we thought it was all over bar the shouting Tony Blair announced he will be holding his monthly, televised press conference from Blackpool.

And he will be going out on a high note. By any standards it has been a good conference for the prime minister so far.

He escaped the mauling many expected - albeit at the risk of storing up trouble with the unions in future.

And Wednesday's star turn by his best pal Bill Clinton certainly gave him a major boost.

How would you like the master of slick to say he hopes he will be able to give as good a speech as you when he grows up?

That was so flattering it strayed over the line into parody.

"Conference. Clinton, Bill - Arkansas CLP.

"It's good to be in a place where our crowd are still in office."

Predictable but true - Bill Clinton had a very good day.

He and his showbiz chum Kevin "The Usual Suspects" Spacey were treated to the sort of superstar reception usually reserved for - well, superstars.

For an instant the Winter Gardens appeared to have been transformed into a set from The West Wing.

Estelle "go to the back of the class" Morris who made a keynote speech on education and virtually ignored the A level scandal that has devastated her standing.

Worse, the written text of her speech handed to journalists contained some appalling grammar.

"The reason the last few weeks have been difficult, why it's worried so many people, is because it's uncertainty about something that is so very important."

And the wrong use of an apostrophe: "I tell you what I mean by a post-comprehensive era. It cherishes the values of opportunity and worth, but it's honest about it's strengths and weaknesses."

McDonalds manager Barry Griezans talking about President Bill Clinton's "surprise" visit to his establishment.

"The staff were running around like headless chickens."

Well, they were in the right place.

Peter Mandelson's one-time, if brief membership of the Young Communists is well-known, but only now has he publicly revealed his motives for joining.

"I went into it for social reasons," he said. "I won't go into it because I don't want to spoil the advance on my memoirs."

Pressed further, he continued: "I followed someone in - I just thought love would blossom!"

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Bill Clinton, Kevin Spacey and Tony Blair all turned up at the Northern Night bash in Blackpool.

And each did a little turn - notably a Spacey impression of Clinton.

One delegate summed it all up afterwards declaring: "If a vote was taken now, Blair would come third."

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Greenpeace has been offering a hugely-useful shuttle service between the hotels along the prom and the Winter Gardens.

Blackpool's taxi drivers are less than impressed, however, when this lovely old double decker heaves into view.

The driver has a habit of stopping just behind the taxi ranks while two attractive young clippies urge delegates and passers-by to take the "free" transport to the conference centre.