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Priti Patel dances with Nigel Farage at Conservative Party conference
Emily Hewertson
Rishi Sunak would have known this year’s Conservative Party conference was going to be tough, as his first, and most likely last, before the next general election.
But he couldn’t have expected that it would be totally overwhelmed by a single, (money)burning issue.
Yes, HS2 is the acronym on everyone’s lips, and pundits and politicians alike are spitting with fury at the prospect of seeing the rail line’s northern leg scrapped.
Still, as pressure mounts on the Prime Minister to confirm his plans for the ill-fated project, his colleagues have done their best – or, more accurately, worst – to distract from the fallout.
From a fabricated “meat tax” to the obligatory “Tories on tour” scenes, indy100 will keep you updated on all the most excruciating moments from the Manchester event, and what commentators are making of it all.
More queues to see a former PM – this time Theresa, not Truss
30p Lee keeping things classy
Imagine how it feels to be told Liz Truss is more popular than you are...
Shockingly, the conference isn't doing the Tories any favours in the polls
At least some people are giving the conference a ringing endorsement
Talk about embarrassing moments, someone bought a signed copy of Nadine Dorries's book for £600
Who needs photoshop when you can just herd to make yourself look better?
This may be the only video montage you need to see this week
And a useful summary of today's agenda here
This handy little thread gathers together some real high/lowlights (depending on your political leanings)
Kemi Badenoch's claim that Britain is the "best country in the world to be Black" has caused some understandable controversy
Read more here
The immigration debate never fails to generate the classiest arguments from the classiest people
Patel clearly wasn't in the mood for confrontation after a heavy night
Tory MP Danny Kruger making Suella Braverman proud with this tasteful point
Sunak throwing in more diversions than a Sunday morning rail service
Just as Sunak juggles with the HS2 furore, an old nemesis rears its ugly head: Covid
Naturally, Labour wasn't going to let him get away with that one
Speaking of irony...
In a painful twist of irony, a social mobility charity had to cancel an event this morning for accessibility reasons...
It's no wonder people are drawing this conclusion
And the night clearly went on and on...
And even later in the day, this happened...
Later in the day, Net Zero secretary Claire Coutinho started some unnecessary beef with Labour
Sky News
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Claire Coutinho said she wanted to add a "light moment" in her speech as she referenced the 'meat tax' - which, in fact, doesn't exist.
Coutinho sat down with journalist Sophy Ridge on Sky News' Politics Hub, where she was quizzed on a part of her Conservative Party conference speech "that really struck" Ridge.
"'It's no wonder Labour seem so relaxed about taxing meat," Coutinho said in her speech. "Sir Keir Starmer doesn't eat it and Ed Miliband is clearly scarred by his encounter with the bacon sandwich".
Ridge asked: "You didn't write that, did you?"
And here's what 'The Rest is Politics' host Alastair Campbell made of the whole thing
Truss's speech went down like a 49-day-old lettuce leaf in some quarters
Buzzy Lizzy
Sure, a wilting lettuce lasted longer than Liz Truss's premiership, but there's been a notable buzz around Sunak's predecessor.
She was greeted by lengthy queues yesterday as she delivered a speech calling for tax cuts to “make Britain grow again”.
And here's a taste of the calibre of attendees.
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