Osborne used his conference speech to go on the attack against Miliband. Comparing him to Karl Marx was always going to be a crowd-pleaser:

“I share none of the pessimism I saw from the Leader of the Opposition last week.

For him the global free market equates to a race to the bottom with the gains being shared among a smaller and smaller group of people.

That is essentially the argument Karl Marx made in Das Kapital.

It is what socialists have always believed. But the irony is this: It is socialism that always brings it about.”

Before delivering a line that was actually quite funny:

“If you want to know the consequences of an Ed Miliband premiership, just look at the plan of the man who knows him best.

His brother. David Miliband. One: leave Parliament. Two: leave politics. Three: leave the country. Four: dedicate your life to International Rescue.

David and Ed Miliband. The greatest sibling rivalry since the Bible. Cain and not very Abel.”

Probably best to forget his “you’re hired” thank you to the Apprentice’s Karen Brady. Fire the speechwriter for that one…