Everything in moderation '“ except in the party of victorious Corbynites

By The Newsroom
Published 27th Sep 2017, 07:00 BST
Updated 3rd Oct 2017, 15:26 BST
Ayesha Hazarika used to love Labour conferences  but now she gets abuse as a moderate. Picture: GettyAyesha Hazarika used to love Labour conferences  but now she gets abuse as a moderate. Picture: Getty
Ayesha Hazarika used to love Labour conferences  but now she gets abuse as a moderate. Picture: Getty
I've been coming to Labour Party conference for more than a decade. It was my geeky political dream to be a Labour adviser and I always loved conference. It was like attending a family wedding. A lot of drinking, a lot of drama, embarrassing relatives but a lot of love.

In many ways, nothing appeared to have changed that much this year. The same old faces were still rushing along the Brighton sea front to fringe meetings or queuing at the bars in the wee hours. But the truth is, everything has changed – especially for us moderates in the Labour Party.

Once, centrist MPs were treated like political heroes and couldn’t move for party members stopping them to shake hands or get a ­photo. Now they roam free, all lonely without their entourage and no one bothers them anymore apart from to ask for directions to the Momentum festival. A former Cabinet ­minister quipped that back in the day, he would sweep past the small groups of angry protesters waving placards against the leadership – now he is one of those people.

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I used to have an “access all areas” pass which allowed me into the main conference hall and even go backstage. As I tried to enter the hall one of the once-friendly stewards stopped me and looked at my pass. “Sorry, you’re not allowed in here – you’re in the cheap seats upstairs,” he said. “But I used to be able to sit in the hall,” I protested. “Not anymore love.”

When I got to the balcony, I saw MPs and former government ministers huddled at the back. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

My final insult was getting an email saying I had not been successful in my application to get a ticket to watch Jeremy Corbyn’s speech. I didn’t even apply for one! You have to admit, that is top trolling. I then got abused at a fringe ­meeting where some ­horrid, ­aggressive bloke yelled at me, demanding I make a public apology for ever doubting the great leader.