The Tories await Boris

In just over an hour, Boris will make his first appearance in Manchester. The Tory hierarchy is acutely aware that for at least the next 18 hours or so this will be Boris’ show.

There’s a certain nervousness about what might be in Boris’s speech. One MP close to the leadership just came up to me and asked, “You guys don’t have any idea what he’s going to say, do you?” Boris has, apparently, being telling people that he hasn’t written his speech yet, which is only increasing the anxiety that he might make some fruity comments on Europe or tax.

One thing that’s certain is that the hall will be packed for Boris. The activists’ seem to love him more than ever this year. At one fringe meeting, the mere mention of Boris running for leader one day was enough to bring huge whoops and cheers.