´óÏó´«Ã½

´óÏó´«Ã½ BLOGS - Newsnight: Michael Crick
« Previous | Main | Next »

Plenty of room at the back

Michael Crick | 11:48 UK time, Wednesday, 7 October 2009

I'm sitting in the middle of the conference hall here in Manchester listening to Chris Grayling open the law and order debate.

In the past this debate at a Conservative conference would have been packed and heaving - it was always one of the highlight of the week, with party activists cheering any call for capital or corporal punishment.

Yet at this moment, with the shadow home secretary speaking, the hall is not even half full. Long rows of seats are empty.

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Well, he certainly has managed to get people's attention now !!!

    Ace work by the Newsnight team..

  • Comment number 2.

    1. At 2:48pm on 07 Oct 2009, lordBeddGelert wrote:
    Well, he certainly has managed to get people's attention now !!!


    A brief coffee break gives me no opportunity to seek greater clarification of what that might portend, news wise. Ironic to be alerted via a blogger albeit on an 'established media' blog. I am sure further, more informative 'official' news of events will be interpreted soon.

    However, it seems I can rely on the news gathering might assembled here to give me... er.. (non) attendance figures. Assuming the reporter is facing the right direction at any given moment, much less paying attention to actually 'stuff' beyond errant fizzy drink servings, decades old school or uni indiscretions, etc.

    Great, some might say a unique, use of the licence fee.

  • Comment number 3.

    Lots of empty seats. You mean like the Labour conference

  • Comment number 4.

    Lots of empty seats?

    A bit like this blog really.

Ìý

´óÏó´«Ã½ iD

´óÏó´«Ã½ navigation

´óÏó´«Ã½ © 2014 The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.