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Tory Treasury minister takes the fight to Labour

(Photo by DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)

To Shoreditch, unlikely terrain for this year’s Tory Reform Group conference. The last such shindig happened in pre-Covid times, with the One Nation Conservatives keen to make up for lost time. Damian Green, Maria Miller and Tom Tugendhat were among a succession of MPs who appeared before the activists, proudly extolling the virtues of the centre ground and common sense conservatism. 

Mr S was in attendance and particularly enjoyed the reaction of the MP who, upon finding out the result of the Met manhunt, delightedly exclaimed ‘We’ve found Khalife? Thank fuck for that!’ Other highlights included Bim Afolami’s remarkably understated observation on the need for party discipline to ensure fiscal restraint ‘Frankly, over the last few years we have been many things but disciplined isn’t one of them.’

But speech of the day went to Victoria Atkins, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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