New term for Team Brown

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By Carole Walker
BBC political correspondent

It could have been the first school trip of the new term, with even the normally scowling headmaster looking relatively refreshed after his summer break and the entire class scrubbed and on their best behaviour.

Mr Brown appeared refreshed after the summer break

David Miliband, who wears long trousers now he's foreign secretary, gave no hint of that rebellious behaviour which caused such a furore at the end of last term. He said he really would knuckle down this year.

All the cultural and social visits reflecting the prime minister's pet subjects went according to plan.

The only person who got a ticking off was a BBC reporter who was told not to chew gum, though that was on a visit to a real school.

Team bonding is always an important part of these away days and there were plenty of cameras on hand to capture those all-important images of cabinet unity.

Marginal seats

Ministers have insisted their high-profile trip to the West Midlands is not a gimmick, but a chance to get out of London and engage with the people and problems of an important region.

It does also just happen to be an area with a large number of key marginal seats.

Gordon Brown does appear to have accepted that he needs to address criticism that nobody knows what he stands for or in what direction is he is taking the country.

Certainly Gordon Brown has quashed any notion that he might quietly accept that he's not the man for the job Britain will be stronger, says Brown

There have been policy announcements. Today saw the manufacturing strategy with a focus on how new green technologies can create new jobs and businesses.

There was another new scheme to help people on low-incomes learn new skills. Later in the week we'll get the much-discussed Energy Plan.

Many Labour MPs will be relieved to see that in this crucial build-up to their party conference, Gordon Brown appears to have some new energy and ideas. The least they expect of their prime minister is that he is out there talking up plans to boost jobs and training.

One newspaper story at the weekend suggested that in his all-important conference speech, Gordon Brown would adopt a humble tone, accepting some of the blame for his government's woes.

Clear warning

A senior aide dismissed that notion in the sort of language I won't repeat on a BBC website.

Certainly Gordon Brown has quashed any notion that he might quietly accept that he's not the man for the job and bow out with dignity.

The message in his foreword to a document to be sent to all conference delegates could not be clearer.

"My own response to the great challenges in my own life has been to confront them, resolute in the belief that there would always be something that could be done to overcome them. And there always has been."

Such defiance is not surprising in a man who waited so long for the top job - and has only been in power for just over a year.

But it is a clear warning to his critics that any attempt to remove him could prove difficult and bloody.

The away day saw a whole string of ministers declare that Gordon could still turn things around and lead them to victory at the next election.

As they headed back to their desks they know that much will depend on how he performs in his next big test at the party conference.