28 September 2011 Last updated at 01:11 ET

Newspaper review: Varied assessments of Miliband speech

A look at the first editions of the UK papers

There are mixed reviews in Wednesday's papers for Labour leader Ed Miliband's speech to the party conference.

"An authentic speech in his own voice," is the Guardian view, adding: "At least Labour is beginning to do something interesting again."

"He did better than sceptics within his own party and in the country had probably feared," suggests the Independent. "He bought himself time."

The Daily Mirror believes he is "drafting a plan for a better Britain".

'Wilderness bound'

But, among scathing reviews elsewhere, the Daily Express suggests TV viewers whose screens went blank during the speech "were the lucky ones".

The Financial Times complains about a lack of policy detail in the speech.

"Uncertain ramblings of a union puppet who has failed to convince Labour they wouldn't have been better off with his sharper brother," is the Sun verdict.

Labour is marching "firmly to the left", the paper adds, "and the wilderness that accompanies it."

'Man-flu' evidence

The Daily Mail is among those to report research findings that suggest women have a "superior immune system".

"The discovery also suggests that males who regularly complain of 'man-flu' may not be exaggerating," the paper adds.

The Times reports that a pair of Dorothy's ruby shoes from The Wizard of Oz are expected to fetch at least $3m (£1.9m) at auction.

For the owner who paid $165,000 for them in 1988, it's set to be a "golden windfall at the end of the rainbow".

Catchphrase clash

Many of the papers pay a fond farewell to the television comedy writer, David Croft, who has died at the age of 89.

"The DNA of the classic British sitcom would be utterly different without him," it is argued in the Independent.

Staying in TV, the Daily Telegraph reports a row over Ashes to Ashes star Philip Glenister's claim he created the "Fire up the Quattro" catchphrase.

Show co-creator Matthew Graham disputes this, accusing Glenister of a "sideways jibe" and "deluded ego trip".