MARTIN Vickers, the Conservative MP for Cleethorpes, is currently at the Tory Party Conference in Birmingham. He will be writing pieces for the Grimsby Telegraph about the event as it progresses, and here is his first column...
THE mood of Party Conference is determined by where we are in the political cycle and whether the party is in government or opposition.
This year, we are almost exactly at the mid-point in this parliament with the election due in May 2015.
So, as you would expect, the mood is austere and determined.
It's the fringe meetings where the more interesting debates take place rather than the carefully choreographed performances in the main hall.
On Monday, the main event was the Chancellor's speech in which he repeated the Government's determination to see the country through the world downturn and to balance the books for which, as the polls show, he still has majority support in the country.
Meanwhile, the media circus that follows Boris Johnson around descended on Birmingham determined to create a Dave v Boris leadership contest, which is pure fantasy.
Like most leaders, the next one will emerge from the shadows.
A year before they became leader, hardly anyone knew of Ed Miliband or David Cameron.
The same will happen again and tempted though I am to suggest some names, I'll resist.
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