I didn’t get a Conference pass this year in the end, so with the exception of a brief trip to see friends (and the Conservative Party tram) on Saturday night I’ve been keeping up with proceedings on television and online.
I don’t want to run through the week on a point-by-point basis (which is done far better by people who were actually there like Iain Dale), but it is clear that Conservative activists have left Blackpool with a real spring in their step after an excellent Conference in which David Cameron confirmed that he and his team are a genuine government-in-waiting. The contrast with Gordon Brown’s tired and recycled speech last week was stark.
I have remained firmly in the sceptical camp as far as the possibility of an autumn election is concerned, but along with many of my colleagues I am now sure that if Gordon Brown does seek a November General Election, the Conservative Party will not only fight but will win - for the benefit of every resident and every community across the country.
Anybody who can stand for an hour and speak with no notes is to be admired but on content I have my doubts. For example he advocates the removal of the appeal system for permanent exclusion from schools. I don’t have that degree of confidence in the present system but it would be very tempting for a HT who knows there is no appeal system to monitor his/her decision to be a little cavalier with the process.
He is also planning to ditch the human rights laws. I suspect that is another bit of policy that will also be re-written in the near future.
If there will be an election it will certainly be interesting.