Labour Conference: Seen & Heard

"Tony reminds us that we can't be complacent. We can't have any triumphalists. Oh sod it, yes we can! For a few minutes let us enjoy our victory, wallow in that victory, celebrate our victory." - John Prescott

Clare Short has clearly been forgiven for supporting a review of the law on cannabis smoking, because it was turned into a joke by Gordon Brown in his keynote speech, and Ms Short smiled broadly.

"People ask me what it's like to live in Downing Street. I tell them it's very informal. It's very neighbourly. Just call me Gordon. The next- door neighbours have young children, so at 9pm every night we have Jack Straw round to impose a curfew. That is after David Blunkett has been round to check on their homework, Tessa Jowell to check if anyone has been smoking ... and Clare Short to check on what they have been smoking."

Derek Hatton, the former Militant leader, at a fringe meeting with David Blunkett, told him: "You were right, and I was wrong."

"Some of them don't even seem to have noticed that anything happened on 1 May. I was in my official residence a couple of weeks ago when the phone rang. It was a senior Tory backbencher asking if he could speak to Douglas Hurd. I had to tell him to go and look in his diary." - Robin Cook