What this month means for Labour and the Tories

And this year should have been no different '“ if the papers are to be believed, Labour has already lost the election, and the Tories have already won.

Well that certainly wasn't obvious from the conference speeches of Gordon Brown and David Cameron.

At Labour Party Conference, Gordon Brown proved the leader that he was. He made a number of important announcements '“ including the right to recall your MP if he/she is found guilty of misconduct, extension of the car scrappage scheme, and getting rid of all hereditary peers.

But just as significant in many ways, the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero and Norwegian Prime Minister both spoke at last week's conference, and a key point of both was to say that the solutions to the financial crisis would not have happened without Gordon Brown. Live video link-ups with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Bono said the same.

But of course the media weren't in the mood to mention that. They were too focussed on whether or not there would be a coup against Brown, and in the reaction to the Sun's (predictable) support for the Tories.

Cameron's speech, in comparison, was so typical of what the Conservative leader is becoming known for '“ lots of spin and lots of catchy phrases, but no substance. He announced a list of Labour achievements that the Tories plan to continue '“ the minimum wage, the NHS '“ and absolutely no new policies of his own.

And the guests who came to the Tory conference? Michal Kaminski, a homophobic Polish MEP who has also been accused of anti-semitism; and Robert Zile, a Latvian MEP from a party which celebrates the Waffen SS.

Watching the conference spectacle unfold, I know who I would rather have leading the country, and I know which politicians I would trust to recommend him. Gordon Brown, recommended by a long list of world leaders - over Cameron, recommended by bigots.