They’re celebrating like winners, but that may be their first own goal

The Labour Party conference is awash with jubilation. But it’s of a very particular kind. John Motson would recognise it instantly. It’s the jubilation of a non-league football club that against all odds battled its way to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, then lost heroically in extra time to a team of complacent Premier League showboaters.

That’s the mood of this conference. Plucky little underdogs. Lads done us proud. Put us on the map. Be telling our grandchildren. Magic of the cup.

Beyond the fringe gatherings of beleaguered moderates, there seems to be no sense that the Labour Party is not, in fact, a shoestring operation that has hitherto languished in the shadow of the big boys. No sense that it was, until only a few years ago, running the country, and that it spanked the Tories three elections in a row. No sense, even, that in June it lost.

Instead, this year’s election is being celebrated in Brighton as if it were a triumph without precedent. Fans bask in memories of how, driven on by their inspirational Captain Marvel, Jeremy Corbyn, the boys romped to a historic second-place finish, with a towering 262 seats – a haul that the likes of Tony Blair could only have dreamt of. Confidence abounds that, one day soon, Labour may even form its first ever government.

Some speakers appear to believe it already has. “The whingers and whiners say we didn’t win,” spat Len Mccluskey, leader of the Unite union, yesterday. “I say to them: we did win!” The hall cheered and cheered again when Mr Mccluskey adapted the lyrics of the socialist anthem The Red Flag to vow that, “though cowards flinch and traitors sneer, we’ll keep the Corbyn flag flying here!” No actual Corbyn flags were on view, but one delegate did wave a framed painting of him, adorned with a halo of tinsel.

Yesterday’s session would have featured a vote on Brexit policy, but this was vetoed by Mr Corbyn’s supporters. Allowing a vote would have been a mistake, explained one delegate, because “we are not all agreed”. At the weekend, some members had held a rally to protest against Brexit. This, fumed another delegate, was “a disgrace”, designed to “undermine Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership”. The hall applauded – in defence of Mr Corbyn, obviously, not the pro-eu quislings.

To Mr Corbyn’s supporters, June’s defeat feels like victory because, beforehand, their expectations were so low. Now, however, their expectations are sky-high. What could go wrong?