This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8293836.stm

The article has changed 36 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 20 Version 21
At-a-glance: Tory conference At-a-glance: Tory conference
(31 minutes later)
WEDNESDAY'S BIG ISSUEWEDNESDAY'S BIG ISSUE
The main theme of the day is "Mending our Broken Society". So there'll be policy plans set out for schools, crime, welfare and family - will that switch the focus from Tuesday's announcements of a public sector pay freeze and plans to bring forward the increase in the state pension age? The main theme of the day was meant to be "Mending our Broken Society" with policy plans set out for schools, crime, welfare and family. But news that former head of the Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, is to be a defence adviser to the Conservatives quickly dominated headlines.
RUNNING ORDERRUNNING ORDER
Schools and Sport: Shadow children, schools and families secretary Michael Gove, shadow culture, media and sport secretary: Jeremy HuntSchools and Sport: Shadow children, schools and families secretary Michael Gove, shadow culture, media and sport secretary: Jeremy Hunt
Law and Order: Shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve, shadow home secretary Chris GraylingLaw and Order: Shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve, shadow home secretary Chris Grayling
Welfare Reform: Shadow work and pensions secretary and women's minister Theresa MayWelfare Reform: Shadow work and pensions secretary and women's minister Theresa May
Family: Shadow university and skills minister David Willetts, Shadow family minister Maria MillerFamily: Shadow university and skills minister David Willetts, Shadow family minister Maria Miller
BUBBLY WATCH: LATEST
Just a day after he was photographed enjoying a glass, it sounds like David Cameron won't be defying the Tories' reported champagne ban again. His wife Samantha told ITV News: "He's had a good talking to". Had some sobering news put Mr Cameron off the bubbly? Bookmaker William Hill is offering odds of 5/1 that Boris Johnson will become a Cabinet minister in the next Tory government - and 50/1 that he will become prime minister within 10 years.
SPEECH OF A THOUSAND CUTS?
From one set of odds to another, bookmaker Paddy Power is offering punters a flutter on the number of times David Cameron will use the word "cuts" in his keynote speech on Thursday. It's 2/1 on that he will exceed Gordon Brown's total last week of 12. Paddy Power spokesman Darren Haines said: "Cameron will be keen to make his mark in what is fast becoming a manhood measuring contest as to who can promise the biggest cuts."
BARING SOLES Has Ken Clarke begun the Tory age of austerity with cuts to his shoe budget?BARING SOLES Has Ken Clarke begun the Tory age of austerity with cuts to his shoe budget?
Shoe watch at the Tory conference usually focuses on Theresa May, who has been known to sport leopard print kitten heels (2002) and leopard print wellies (2007). This year she's already been seen in a pair of red snakeskin-effect heels. But at the other end of the fashion spectrum, another top Tory continues to shun the well-heeled look. Shadow business secretary Ken Clarke was sporting his trademark brown suede shoes on the conference stage on Tuesday - fittingly for his colleague George Osborne's "age of austerity" speech, they were, to say the least, a little well worn.Shoe watch at the Tory conference usually focuses on Theresa May, who has been known to sport leopard print kitten heels (2002) and leopard print wellies (2007). This year she's already been seen in a pair of red snakeskin-effect heels. But at the other end of the fashion spectrum, another top Tory continues to shun the well-heeled look. Shadow business secretary Ken Clarke was sporting his trademark brown suede shoes on the conference stage on Tuesday - fittingly for his colleague George Osborne's "age of austerity" speech, they were, to say the least, a little well worn.
TORY TROY CHANCELLOR?TORY TROY CHANCELLOR?
The buzz phrase in George Osborne's conference speech was "We're all in this together", but did the shadow chancellor realise he'd tapped into the youth zeitgeist? Apparently not. The line is the theme song for the High School Musical series of films. Asked if Troy and Gabriella etc had inspired him, Mr Osborne said he had to "confess" his ignorance of the film series which is inescapable for most parents, like him, with a six-year-old old daughter. "We have not yet gone through the decade of High School Musical. I just thought it summed up the challenge," he said.The buzz phrase in George Osborne's conference speech was "We're all in this together", but did the shadow chancellor realise he'd tapped into the youth zeitgeist? Apparently not. The line is the theme song for the High School Musical series of films. Asked if Troy and Gabriella etc had inspired him, Mr Osborne said he had to "confess" his ignorance of the film series which is inescapable for most parents, like him, with a six-year-old old daughter. "We have not yet gone through the decade of High School Musical. I just thought it summed up the challenge," he said.
SURVEILLANCE STATESURVEILLANCE STATE
Liberty's human rights campaigner Shami Chakrabarti had barely uttered the words George Bush and war on terror at a packed fringe meeting before some well spoken chap's carefully chosen words boomed out of the speakers drowning her out. It seemed that somehow the sound from a neighbouring fringe meeting was being piped into the room where Chris Grayling and David Davis, amongst others, prepared to give their thoughts on the Human Rights Act. A delight for conspiracy theorists and the cue for numerous jokes about MI5 plugging the wrong wire in...Liberty's human rights campaigner Shami Chakrabarti had barely uttered the words George Bush and war on terror at a packed fringe meeting before some well spoken chap's carefully chosen words boomed out of the speakers drowning her out. It seemed that somehow the sound from a neighbouring fringe meeting was being piped into the room where Chris Grayling and David Davis, amongst others, prepared to give their thoughts on the Human Rights Act. A delight for conspiracy theorists and the cue for numerous jokes about MI5 plugging the wrong wire in...
NO HERO
Last week, Sarah Brown introduced the PM to the Labour conference as her "hero", but David Cameron says a similar glowing endorsement from his wife Samantha is, well, unlikely. Asked about it on GMTV, he said: "I think hell would probably freeze over before she would describe me as her hero. But she will be here, I promise she will be here." Mr Cameron added his own bit of praise, however, calling Samantha a "brilliant" wife and mother.
BROKEN BUBBLY BAN?
Tory chairman Eric Pickles has reportedly banned champagne at the conference, insisting the party must appear "humble". But it seems his decree has been flouted by former shadow Commons leader Alan Duncan, who is pictured in several newspapers on Tuesday quaffing a glass. David Cameron, who was pictured by one newspaper enjoying a spot of bubbly himself, played it down, saying: "It is a party conference and there are a lot of people having parties and whatever, but the clear message coming out of this conference is that there is not any complacency." Mr Duncan was demoted last month after complaining that MPs were being forced to "live on rations" following the expenses scandal.
CONFERENCE CATCH-UPCONFERENCE CATCH-UP
They may be preaching austerity from the conference stage, but Conservatives are spending freely a the conference fringe shopping mall. class="bodl" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8293196.stm">Conference shops prove Tory hit David Cameron told the BBC that the UK's huge public deficit was "a clear and present danger" and being honest about the cuts needed to tackle it was the only option. class="inlineText" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8294011.stm">Honesty needed on cuts - Cameron
George Osborne said the Tories would freeze pay for all public sector workers, excluding those on less than £18,000-a-year or on the military frontline. He drove home his message on economic recovery, saying repeatedly: "We're in this together." href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8292680.stm">Osborne unveils pay and tax plans Former head of the Army chief General Sir Richard Dannatt is to become a defence adviser to the Conservatives in the House of Lords, the BBC learns href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8294670.stm">Ex-Army chief 'offered Tory role'
George Osborne's boss and his wife Francis listened intently to his speech But not everyone on the Conservative front bench had heard about it, shadow home secretary Chris Grayling apparently thought it was a Labour appointment and suggested it might be "a gimmick" - he later said he had misheard the question class="inlineText" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8295247.stm">Grayling laughs off Dannatt gaffe
The move - which upped the ante from an earlier pay freeze announcement by the government - did not go down well with public sector workers. href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8292048.stm">Anger over pay freeze 'politics' In his own speech Mr Grayling announced a new "late night levy" to help pay for the cost of cleaning up after binge drinkers href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8294554.stm">Tories plan drink levy on shops
Mr Osborne also revealed that from 2016, men will have to work until the age of 66 before they can receive the state pension. Women will eventually have to do the same, he said, but not until at least 2022. href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8291835.stm">Tories plan rise in pension age Shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve said the Tories would issue new guidance to police to clear up confusion over the rights of criminals to privacy. href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8293881.stm">Tories 'to end criminal privacy'
Shadow business secretary Ken Clarke said the Conservatives would be "a friend" to new businesses and pledged to cut down on their paperwork. href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8293316.stm">Clarke: Tories would cut red tape Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove said the worst performing schools in England would be shut down and reopened as Academies by 2011, under a Tory government href="/2/hi/uk_news/education/8294444.stm">Failing schools 'to be Academies'
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers announced that there would be no more government funding for fixed speed cameras if the Tories take power. href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8292665.stm">Tories 'to end speed camera rose' They may be preaching austerity from the conference stage, but Conservatives are spending freely at the conference fringe shopping mall. href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8293196.stm">Conference shops prove Tory hit
Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps said his party would scrap Hips - home information packs - if they won the next election. href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8292433.stm">Tories would make Hips 'history' There was a new twist in the row over Tory links in Europe when the Board of Deputies of British Jews wrote a letter to David Cameron asking for reassurances about two party allies - Michael Kaminski and Robert Zile href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8294361.stm">Jewish group seeks Tory assurance
REACTIONS TO OSBORNE SPEECH Advertisement The BBC's Andrew Gilhooly went along to the Conservative Party's first ever official gay event on Tuesday. class="inlineText" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8294427.stm">Gay Tories hold first pride night
Reaction to Osborne speech CHRIS GRAYLING'S 'MISUNDERSTANDING' Advertisement
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling: ''I hope that this isn't a political gimmick''
PREVIOUS DAYSPREVIOUS DAYS
Tory conference: MondayTory conference: Monday
Tory conference: TuesdayTory conference: Tuesday