Reaction To Ed Miliband's Conference Speech

'55 Minutes Of Nothing' - Delegates And Commentators React To Miliband's Speech
|

Reaction to Ed Miliband's speech was fairly muted in the conference hotel, with the spectacular failure of the TV feed halfway through proving far more noteworthy among those who couldn't get into the main hall.

"Dreadful," said one delegate from Liverpool, when asked about the parts of the speech that did get broadcast. "55 Minutes of nothing, except for some vague idea of a bargain. It doesn't mean anything."

"There wasn't enough substance," said another. "It was all very nice but it didn't tell us what we're actually supposed to be doing."

Luke Akehurst, an NEC Member, told HuffPost UK: "This was not a speech that's going to change the course of British political history, but it was an affirmation that Labour feels strongly united behind Ed. Anyone who's trying to pretend otherwise is being michevious."

Akehurst added that Milband's speech was clever because he was thinking about how to redefine a centre-left government in an age of austerity.

Other delegates were more sympatheitc. "I enjoyed the speech but I still think we've got a long way to go, said one. "He's a different kettle of fish. He's not Tony Blair or Gordon Brown. It's very difficult being in opposition. You can say a lot but can't do much."

More reaction as it comes in: