Labour convention diary: Gossip and scrumptious secrets and techniques from day 3 in Liverpool

Labour’s Conference isn’t just about the big speeches in the main hall – or even the smaller fringe events.

Away from the main business of the conference, in the late-night parties, drinks receptions and overpriced hotel bars is where the real fun unfolds.

Every day, the Mirror Politics team – and our army of willing spies – brings you all the gossip, secrets and behind-closed-doors intrigue from the new Government’s gathering in Liverpool.

Health Secretary considers banning cupcakes

WHICH senior minister was extremely upset that the picture of him on cupcakes handed out at the Sky News party made him look much more miserable than cabinet colleagues?

Wes Streeting. It was Wes Streeting. Scroll up, there’s a picture.

All bets are off

WHICH senior Labour figure was so keen to keep the party going after Sky’s bash – a smaller, stuffier affair than tonight’s legendary Mirror party – that at around 1.30am, he grabbed your reporter by the elbow, looked deep into his eyes and whispered: “Let’s go to the casino”.

Your correspondent politely declined.

GB Loos

Not satisfied with rarely calling on them for questions at press conferences – Farage-fronted TV channel GB News have been assigned an area of the Labour Conference press room right next to the gents lavatory.

Gollum and Dobby united at last

MONDAY was a star-studded day – with Hollywood stars Andy Serkis and Toby Jones both being spotted perusing the stalls in the Liverpool conference centre.

Of course, Mr Jones is familiar to most as playing Post Office scandal legend Alan Bates on TV.

But Jones and Serkis have something in common – both have played small, bald pointy-eared creatures with funny voices.

Serkis shot to fame voicing Gollum in Lord of the Rings, while Jones played Dobby in the Harry Potter series.

A ray of sunshine

KEIR Starmer ’s bid to cut through the doom and gloom with a little optimism hasn’t quite taken hold yet.

Asked for their view on how Labour conference is going so far, one very senior cabinet minister simply replied: “Everything is f*****g s**t.”

Going where the action is

At least two lobbyists who previously worked in senior positions in No10 under the Tories – and are now at different firms – came to Labour conference…but aren’t going bothering with Tories next week.

“What’s the point?” one said.

Conference highlights on Wednesday

• 10am – Wes Streeting speech
• 10.45am – Bridget Philipson speech
• Time tbc – Vote on Winter Fuel motion
• 11.45 – Ellie Reeves closes conference – and everyone sings The Red Flag