Labour conference: Compromise in the sea air

The shock of the new is written on the faces of old time delegates in Brighton.

The novelty is a delight for those like the most powerful union leader in the country, Len McLuskey, proclaiming it's the first Labour conference in years he has looked forward to.

For others, most notably a majority of the party's MPs, they need to be brave in this new world, for the party's leader, Jeremy Corbyn, wants to change their minds on national security, on the economy, and on the way to win.

He wants to make good his promise to do politics in a different way, giving power, much more power, to the thousands upon thousands of voters who signed up to support Labour to vote for him.

Their vigour, their attraction to his clear ideas, can't be questioned. But this week, their eagerness may fray.

For there is already compromise in the sea air.

The party has tonight backed away from confrontation on nuclear weapons.

Its brand new position on creating safe havens in Syria may be designed to force the government to take action. But the proposal also delays Labour making any decision on whether to back potential air strikes.

Mr Corbyn still opposes them - many of his colleagues disagree. Just 14 days into his new politics, a man elected because of his pure principle is having to deal with leadership in practice.