´óÏó´«Ã½

Picture: Getty Images

After standing for half an hour listening to the messages from the stage, we spotted a couple of spare seats on the floor. Creeping forward we were disappointed to find they had 'reserved' labels on them.

"Is there anyone using this seat?", I ask. "Oh yes," comes the reply and we sling back to stand in the shadows.

The next time we look, David Cameron is smiling from the very seats we were trying to pinch.

The mantra this Conference, like the last, is 'don't get caught drinking champagne'.

We are in times of austerity and newspaper pictures of toffs quaffing fizz won't go down well.

I haven't seen any corks popping myself, although the bars are more than busy. The overspill on the pavement outside the conference hotel, The Hyatt, is running into the hundreds.

But one MP told us in the hotel bar that the rule only held for Ministers - mere members didn't matter. No one's offered me a flute yet though.

George Osborne announced to the nation yesterday that he is to end the universal benefit of family allowance, one of the cornerstones of the welfare state established in 1945.

It seems that the last to know of these momentous plans was the deputy leader of the coalition, Nick Clegg.

While being interviewed on radio yesterday he decided he was not well briefed enough to make a comment.

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• - What's this?