THE Labour Party has found a new sense of direction and purpose after spending the past few days in Manchester, say Bolton’s MPs.

Julie Hilling, Yasmin Qureshi and David Crausby have been at the Labour Party Conference in Manchester since Sunday, where Ed Miliband was declared the winner of the leadership contest.

And with the Conservatives holding their conference in Birmingham next week, the Labour MPs are keen to get back to their constituencies and take the party’s fight to the doorstep.

Ms Hilling, MP for Bolton West, said: “The theme of the conference was the next generation and that is about the party talking to people and making sure we fight the issues that people want us to fight on their behalf.

“I will be out and about in Bolton West, speaking to as many people as I can and that is something I will be doing right up until the next election, to ensure this coalition government is a one-term government.”

Her Bolton South East colleague Ms Qureshi said the appointment of Mr Miliband — who beat four other candidates for the leadership including his brother, David, and Leigh MP Andy Burnham — had given the party a fresh sense of direction.

She said: “We have a new leader and we know the direction in which he wants to take the party. He wants to promote responsibility in all aspects of government life.

“He recognises the need to cut the deficit and balance the economy but knows that it is the state’s responsibility to look after its citizens.”

Meanwhile, Ms Qureshi revealed that putting her name forward for the shadow cabinet election had never crossed her mind, despite previously working as a human rights adviser to the former London mayor, Ken Livingstone.

She said: “I never thought for one minute about standing. I was only elected four months ago and while it is not that I am not capable, it wouldn’t be appropriate at this time.”

Forty-nine MPs, including Bury South’s Ivan Lewis, have put themselves forward for election to Mr Miliband’s 19-strong shadow cabinet.

MPs can vote in the ballot over the next week and the winning candidates will then be given portfolios by the new leader.