Conferences 

Now that the Conservative conference, the final one of the big three, is over. The general election campaign has begun.

Of course anything can still happen. New events may occur, present events move out of control or someone can blunder handing advantage to the other. Nevertheless we have a feel for the battle readiness of the parties and the route each will have to find for victory. The nation is in crisis over the economy and the the scandal of MP’s expenses.

Never in modern peacetime has so much threatened our national well being and confidence in and respect for politicians been so low. Nowhere in the conference season did I detect anyone who really understood or knew what to do.