This week Labour meets in Bournemouth for an autumn refresher under its new leader and former chancellor, Gordon Brown. The Square Mile steers clear of partisan politics but the things that party backing can enable politicians to deliver are of supreme interest – so we are present at all the party conference fringes, making the detailed case for the globally successful City of London.

With global financial markets suffering a credit squeeze, the Bank of England governor grilled in parliament and the first run on a UK retail bank for six generations sharpening political reflexes, there has never been a more timely moment for an intense City-to-party dialogue.