And they're off!

The race for the Conservative leadership has begun in earnest, with all the main candidates taking the stage at the party conference in Blackpool.

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All of the speakers have been well received, but what else would one expect there is no heckling allowed at Tory conferences, that would never do !

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The response to David Davis's speech was somewhat muted by comparison to the efforts of Clarke and Cameron, both of whom received rapturous applause and ovations.

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Kenneth Clarke, oldest candidate at 65, appeared both coy and camp when he proclaimed "We are searching for a leader who can be seen as a prime minister in waiting......and boy, have you kept me waiting".

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As is to be expected from a former Chancellor of the Exchequor, his rousing speech revolved mainly around the economy and taxation, although there was scant mention of policies.

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The EU also failed to get so much as a mention from Ken Clarke, but this is an issue that isn't going away, (no matter how badly the Tories wish it would go away) so expect more dross in the coming weeks.

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