Paddy Lillis, the NEC chair who has been chairing Labour’s first conference session this morning, has already been demonstrating contempt for democracy.

The vote this morning to accept/reject the ‘Conference Arrangement Committee’ report, in which the CAC attempts to justify its decision to ignore some of the most key issues raised by Labour constituency parties and members, was voted on by a show of hands that had a huge number of ‘reject’ hands raised – at the very least, it was tight and probably more than those voting to accept, so a proper ballot was required. People at various heights and angles around the hall have confirmed this.

Lillis declared the ‘accept’ vote ‘overwhelmingly carried’.

Subsequently, various people stood to ‘reference back’ (i.e. object to and put to a delegate vote’) the fact that the NEC’s (National Executive Committee) proposed rule changes are offered as a ‘take it or leave it’…