"Amid all the talk of lies and goodbyes at the Labour Party conference in Manchester, one development went largely unnoticed: the convergence of the two men likely to dominate the party in the absence of Tony Blair. The first, of course, is Gordon Brown. The second is David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, once Blair's anointed heir and now the Chancellor's most vocal cheerleader.
It has been deeply galling for those around the Prime Minister, who spent much of their time at the conference pursuing their desperate quest for a Stop Gordon candidate, to know that their best bet has already declared himself for the enemy. Miliband's interview in the pages of this magazine (NS, 18 September), in which he gave his unequivocal backing to the Chancellor, was seen by both sides as a major event in the soap opera. It was a bitter blow to those who had hoped to derail Brown. There are still hopeful reports in the media that he might change his mind, but Miliband himself is discouraging such speculation. Such an act of treachery would be out of character.

No amount of inducements will shake Miliband from his conclusion that Labour can win the next election only if it unites around the leadership of Brown. The moment Miliband removed himself from the contest, others should have realised that the game was up. But there is no accounting for the vanity of politicians. That said, the defeat of a John Reid-Alan Johnson dream ticket will only make Miliband's position stronger.

The imminent deputy leadership contest will provide a fascinating sideshow in the months to come: an opportunity for a genuine debate about the future direction of the party. Yet it is easy to forget that there will be another vacancy when Tony Blair and John Prescott resign. If Brown takes over, he will need to fill the post he has held for nine years. He is being urged to appoint Miliband as his Chancellor."