“In policies, we don’t see any difference between the Conservative Party and the Labour Party.”Some people in my country thought that a Labour government would be softer but they were thinking of the old Labour. It’s a non sequitur, it’s just not logical to think that because we want tourists to go back and forth that we are talking about the issue of sovereignty,” said Mr di Tella.Aides to the Foreign Minister, however, later noted that he is acutely aware of not embarrassing the Labour government or giving the conservative opposition ammunition that could delay progress in efforts to reach a Falklands solution.Press reports earlier this year saying Argentina expected more flexibility from a Labour government backfired from Argentina’s point of view and brought a tough rebuttal from Tony Blair’s government, the aides said.”The change in government has meant no change whatsoever in policies. The only difference is that Labour has a majority of over 100 in parliament,” Mr di Tella said. New Labour’s Tony Blair will want to promote flexible labour markets, disdaining any new measures under Europe’s Social Chapter.The delegates yesterday insisted Europe’s Socialists have more to unite them than divide them. Only this week Sweden announced it would not join monetary union.Today in his speech Mr Jospin is expected to to call for wide-ranging new measures to redistribute wealth, harking back to protectionist French Socialism of old. The Scandic Conference Centre, where the Socialists were meeting, housed a Saab car plant until three years ago when it was closed, with the loss of 2,000 jobs.

Playing in pop bands such as Eggstone and the Cardigans – famous Malmo names – is now the most popular employment among the young.Whether Europe’s happy new Socialist family will be able to bury differences about revival was the unanswered question. Outside, the price of failure loomed over the water in the shape of giant lifting gear not used since the port closed, throwing 4,000 out of work. Your country was held up to us as an example of what happens when social values are forgotten – the racism, the unemployment produced by Thatcher and the man, what was his name? who followed him,” Mr Wiklund said.Whether Mr Blair could deliver, nobody in Malmo could be sure. The Germans expressed hope that their opposition Socialist Party, the SPD, would ride the Blair wave They were also celebrating on Britain’s behalf “We are happy for you, too You have escaped all those bad times.

Mr Jospin may be the newest of Europe’s Socialist leaders, but all expectations are pinned on Mr Blair. “Blair showed ordinary people that Socialism was not dead after all, even in the UK. He showed us a Socialism that is not about the Communism of years ago, but is for the 21st century,” said Benny Wiklund, a Swedish trade unionist.Such Continental enthusiasts were celebrating because they believe Mr Blair’s victory will swell support for Socialism in their countries, too.Sweden’s Prime Minister, Goran Persson, is facing new political challenges from the right. “Only now do we realise how much Britain was despised when the Tories were in power.

Now people want to listen to us,” said Alan Donnelly, Labour MEP from Tyne and Wear. “It is exciting, a watershed for Social Democrats in Europe.”Nobody was in any doubt who had launched this revival. Of 626 members of the European Parliament, 214 are in the party of European Socialists, by far the largest single group. Even the Nato Secretary-General, Javier Solana, present in Malmo yesterday, is a Socialist. “For the first time we are really in power,” declared the delegates.British MEPs tucking into their “new Socialist”-style pasta and bacon were relishing their sudden notoriety.