If you had picked up your copy of the Daily Star Sunday yesterday you would already have all the latest Tory party conference gossip. Disaffected donor Lord Ashcroft bashed Grant Shapps’ new attack ad as a waste of money last week, but his criticism has left CCHQ scratching their heads. M&C Saatchi did it for free…

Elsewhere find out whether champagne is being quaffed in Birmingham this week, what Boris might have in store for Dave’s birthday surprise and the identity of persona non grata Andrew Mitchell’s new SpAd. Yesterday’s column is now online here…