“Obamarama” will be glimpsed in Manchester today - but only glimpsed. The US Democrat presidential contender will appear on video before the Real Leader speaks. Sadly for delegates, the footage was shot a while ago, when Barack Obama stopped off on his European tour. Much was made of Gordon Brown’s “endorsement” of him a fortnight ago. Now it’s time to see if he returns the compliment.

Is Liam Byrne heading for a Cabinet promotion? The bald, managerial Blairite might not appear to be the most obvious choice but he has found favour where it counts. It was to Mr Byrne, the Immigration Minister, that Ed Balls turned for advice on his conference speech. And it is to Mr Balls that Gordon Brown will turn when he shapes his next Cabinet.

The ubiquitous David Miliband has been pressing an awful lot of flesh but his charm offensive predates the Labour conference. One of those recently summoned to a “round table” on the arms trade binned the invite when he saw that Mr Miliband had helpfully pencilled in two hours for “photo opportunities with the Foreign Secretary”.

Union honey Derek Simpson, the joint leader of Unite, hasn’t been making too much effort to repair relations with David Miliband after trashing him in a Sunday newspaper. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, he never made it to hear Mr Miliband speak, merrily telling anyone who will listen, he was “busy doing nothing”.

Delegates can breathe a sigh of relief: bar last-minute additions, Gordon Brown’s speech will not go over the hour mark. Work began in July on “holiday” in Scotland. Among those who helped were the strategist David Muir, the speechwriter Kirsty McNeil, “bruiser” Ian Austin, “wonk” Stephen Carter and, intriguingly DJ Collins, a name that used to inspire loathing among Brownites. “When you’re in trouble on a speech, give DJ a ring,” said a sympathetic source.

Cherie Blair still bears the bruising from her last Manchester Labour conference. Two years ago she was reported as storming out of Gordon Brown’s speech, denouncing him as a liar. Appearing at a Sun fringe meeting yesterday she was asked if Mr Brown was the best man to sort out Britain’s problems. “Two years ago there were some things expressed about what I was supposed to have said and I can assure you I am not going to fall into that trap again.” Hardly a ringing endorsement.

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