Ming: the post-mortem

In spite of some bracing congratulations, Dizzy flags up the cartoonists' take and concludes that one should never underestimate the human capacity for self-delusion.

Labour's Chris Paul agrees that the speech was a tad on the shite side but reckons that the constant references to the boy Cameron revealed the LibDem strategy: try to prise back support from the eminently suitable Dave rather than the juggernautical Brown. It would certainly explain the piss-poor attempts at humour at the Conservatives' expense: "blondest suicide note in history" (Bojo's quaking at that one. Quaking) and "they're policies Dave, but not as we know them."

Perhaps Mr Paul is right in this analysis. It was announced today that the Tories have lost Worcester City council in a by-election that saw a 17.5 percent swing to Labour, and also waved goodbye to Brandwood in Birmingham. Meanwhile the LibDems lost Abbey ward (Nuneaton and Bedworth council) to the comrades, a contest which saw the BNP come in second. The final slap in the face came in Shoeburyness (Southend-on-Sea) where the Libs lost to an independent. It's hardly good news for a leader seeking to persuade that he is the real alternative to the "cosy consensus" - dropping behind the swivel-eyed loons in one seat and losing a total of two in his own Conference week.

Finally, to the golden rule of politics: if there is an elephant in the room DO NOT continually prod it in the eye until it starts a stampede. Ming's constant references to his age did not, in Westmonster's opinion, quell the mutterers, but rather drew further painful attention to the fact that he looked surprisingly old on stage. Lady Campbell's handbag cannot keep the likes of Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne down indefinitely. If Gordon decides against the nuclear option next Thursday, few would be surprised if the knives came out for a leader whose "I will not be silenced" soundbite sounded suspiciously like Iain Duncan Smith's "the quiet man has just turned up the volume."

If Westmonster is still sitting here next week as opposed to tramping around the backroads of London being shouted at by members of the public and chased by large dogs, she will place a shiny penny on the thoughts of the LibDems turning to a probable spring election (not to mention the Europeans and London mayorals which are due then) and pondering on whether it is that difficult to silence a 66 year old man after all.