It was a rare combination of an excellent meal, lots of table political debate (and the odd bit of juicy gossip) as well as some great speeches.
Guest speakers were John Healey MP and Dennis Skinner MP with the traditional Labour Party auction led by the Daily Mirror's finest, Kevin McGuire. The supporters were local Party members, affiliated unions, friends and family.
Dennis gave a typical barn storming speech. He pointed out that in 1997 £33 Billion was spent on the NHS while in 2010 Labour spent £113 billion. He is a survivor of Cancer and a Heart attack who would not be here now without the NHS.
He talked about the "Tribune Test". He and John don't just disagree with the Tories but both of them detest them and what they do.
John Healey talked about how he use to manage 2000 people as Housing minister, however he is now ordering his own stationary and photocopying. He notes that despite defeat the Labour Party has not turned amongst ourselves as the Tories did in 1997. There is so much at stake and so much depends on us. What the Tories did in 1980s with Utilites they will now do now with our public services.
They are not making these cuts because they need to - it is because they want to.
Update: in the traditional Labour Party raffle I won "Change" by Barack Obama.
