Wags claimed it was a man bites dog moment.
Or was that dog bites man?
Jeremy Corbyn told Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool that the party's aim was to get into power.
After the second leadership contest in as many summers it is perhaps surprising that he felt the issue needed to be addressed at all.
It is is not something that Theresa May will have to say when the Conservative Party conference opens this weekend.
Of course, Mrs May will also not have to say that anti-Semitism is wrong and that female politicians should not be abused.
But such is the level of rancour within some parts of the Labour party at the moment that Mr Corbyn said all three in a wide-ranging speech that lasted longer than an hour.
The veteran socialist stood, appropriately enough, at the far left of a massive stage, in front of a huge red billboard.
Not for him the slightly off-red colours of the New Labour years.
Also in his speech was another call for unity within the bitterly divided party.
Before he spoke, the party faithful watched the now traditional conference video montage.
This one took a historical look at Labour over the years.
Surprisingly given how many Corbyn supporters view the party's former Prime Minister much of the short film was dedicated to the achievements of Tony Blair.
The included the minimum wage, helping the Northern Irish peace process, devolution to Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland. On and on it went.
The move could be seen as an overture to the 'moderates' he is keen to recruit back into his shadow cabinet.
But many of them will have been depressed at his characterisation of the leadership contest, which he said had been triggered by internal fighting among MPs.
A link to the shock EU referendum result was discounted.
But, in truth, with some notable exceptions, most Labour MPs were not there to seehis speech.
Many left Liverpool on Wednesday morning, just hours before their leader's keynote address.
Unity, eh?
Still clearly a work in progress.
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