We’re supposed to be heading for summer, but it was winter in some pockets of Westminster yesterday.  A hard frost in some of the Palace’s meeting rooms yesterday bodes ill for the party over the coming months.

Firstly at the Progress event with Stephen Byers and Ben Bradshaw I witnessed a room split down the middle on Brown’s leadership.  Applause for Byers.  Applause for Bradshaw.  Arms folded.  Heads being gently shaken depending on the point of view. We are witnessing the development of a joint narrative within the Labour Party membership, with loyalty or radical shakeup as the increasingly divergent themes.

The other interesting point is that over the last couple of weeks commentators from the left of the party have started to cleave hard to the leadership.  This, to me at least, seems quite unusual.  Both Brown and Blair have had desperate struggles with the Left throughout their years in office.  But now people like Ken Livingstone and Jon Cruddas are fiercely fighting Gordon’s corner.

Why would that be?  Someone suggested last night that the left is preparing for a takeover of the party in opposition, and does not want an injection of new leadership to rock the boat. Or the left might just be more loyal... I don't know.

Whatever the case may be Labour moved beyond the leadership debate last night.  The election will not be in October but in eleven months time.