Ivan Lewis’s plan to licence journalists has dominated discussion around the conference zone today. It’s been met with near universal derision. Guido hears that Tom Watson and Ivan met up last night, keeping Ed most definitely out of the loop, not least because he was having a polite tête-à-tête with Hugh Grant at the time. Ed, and those around him, were kept in the dark…

Lewis didn’t mention the idea to the fringe event he spoke at last night , despite the fact he had clearly already briefed the press. Conspiracy theories are rife, with party staffers scratching their head at why Lewis dropped this dumb-bomb today of all days…

UPDATE: Ed Miliband’s spokesman has just pulled the rug out from under Ivan to The Sun:

http://twitter.com/#!/Sun_Politics/status/118663779193077760