Had a chat with newbie blogger Derek, you co-conspirators will be pleased to know that he is fascinated by the minds that abuse him. He was particularly interested in Guido’s fashion sense. He was attending the conference in his capacity as a Guardian blogger. Yeah, right…

Tim Montgomerie was reduced to tears and reckons it was “Camerons Greatest Speech”. Neil O’Brien thinks it synthesises three years of Cameroon policy thinking into a coherent single message of modernised traditionalism. Guido was looking around the press gallery for their reactions, Maguire had a face that was thunderous, Derek Draper looked miffed.

It was lapped up in the hall, it was solid and substantial. No flashy gimmicks, traditional Conservative themes like sound money, the Union and strong defence. He stuck to his guns on tax breaks for marriage. He explicitly rejected libertarianism saying the Tories were not just ideologically concerned with freedom. He identified a good ideological attack line against Miliband, turning the charge against Thatcher against Labour, that Miliband did not believe in society, only the individual and the state.

He deflected the experience versus novice argument by pointing out that if that was the case, Brown should never leave office.

Sam came on at the end wearing incredibly high red heels that were almost fetish shoes. Bet the tabloids spot that. Theresa Villiers was dressed as Sarah Palin.

Labour Outlook which was launched to take on ConservativeHome has closed. Dreary and as characterless as it was it only emphasises the difficulties Derek Draper faces trying to ignite the Labour campaign online. Still the news that Labour’s Going Forth campaign, focusing on an online battle to win Labour a fourth term, will be led by John Prescott must be a worry for CCHQ. Or maybe not…

Osborne was on all the news shows at lunchtime giving an interview outside the Treasury after his meeting with the chancellor – his message echoing Cameron’s speech this morning that the Tories would work with the government on legislation next week. Vince Cable has in response just done a waltz around the Westminster studios joining in with his own call for cross-party co-operation in the national interest – “We have to avoid getting caught up in narrow partisanship.”

The press releases sent from his office in the last 24 hours had a very different message:

“Gordon Brown’s response to the economic crisis has been too little, too late.”
“Conservatives don’t have a clue on the banking crisis”

This afternoon’s willingness to avoid point-scoring contrasts with the press release that arrived in Guido’s inbox from Cable at 10.23, just half an hour before Cameron’s hastily arranged emergency statement on the economy. In that press release Cable claimed only the LibDem’s plan would put money back in consumers pockets, cut energy bills, and stop home repossessions:

Gordon Brown and Labour can’t offer that. They got us into this mess. Now they are veering between complacency and panic. Dithering on key decisions, muddling along on half measures.

David Cameron and the Conservatives won’t offer it. At a time when those on the breadline are struggling more than for a generation, their top priority is tax cuts for millionaires.

…There is only one party in Britain today with a serious and credible plan ….

Politically astute operator that he is, Cable changed his tone pretty sharpish this afternoon as soon as he saw which way the wind was blowing….

Guido has just spotted Derek Draper himself, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sandals combination, checking into the Hyatt conference hotel. A well judged outfit calculated to make him blend in here in rainy Birmingham. Guido did not get a photo because he was laughing.

There is a sense here in Birmingham that, as it was during the LibDem conference, the real news story is on Wall Street. Cameron is going to give a hastily arranged speech focusing on the financial market mayhem later this morning.

Still it is not all bad news,* Gordon’s favourite financier Paul Myners and appointee as chairman of the Low Pay Commission, is doing well. The massive hedge fund of which he is a director, GLG, had the biggest short in the market in Bradford and Bingley. Peter Oborne points out that Ronnie Cohen, “Gordon’s private banker” and a huge Labour Party donor, has just set up a new hedge fund to take advantage of the market situation. Good to see some people doing well out of the misery and mayhem…

*You won’t read this news in the Guardian. Paul Myners is the chairman of Guardian Media Group.

Alex Hilton of LabourHome.com introduced by Michael Crick to Michael Ashcroft, “Can you give me £50,000 for my campaign?” Ashcroft “Send me your business plan.” Later, explaining to a very, very, pretty girl, what he does; “My fund is short the market”.

Spotted: Tim Montgomerie and Nadine Dorries sharing a lap-top.

Bell Pottiinger party: we-left-Labour-for-the-Tories to pour champagne down their throats. Not a shadow cabinet member to be seen…

Guido looking gutted, despite being bearish, decides to take time out from the market. Market collapses.

Paul Myners is a director of the hedge fund manager GLG, which with $25 billion under management is one of europe’s biggest hedge fund managers. It was until recently 10% owned by Lehmans. Paul Myners gave money to Gordon Brown’s leadership campaign and he also gave money to Gordon Brown’s think-tank the Smith Institute. Gordon rewarded him with appointments to the Treasury’s pension review.

Derek Tullet has also given huge amounts of money to the Labour Party. Tullet’s broking firm specialises in servicing hedge funds who want to go short stocks and derivatives.

Gilad Hayeem of the Lehman Brothers backed $2 billion hedge fund, Marble Bar Asset Management (Cayman), contributed to Hilary Benn’s deputy leadership campaign.

There are plenty more “evil speculators” who have backed the Labour Party. Just in case you are wondering why Labour is silent…

Judging by the banner hanging over the front door, the Rocket Club lap-dancing joint is not exactly embarrassed by all the free publicity it has received. Guido has his discount voucher. Should be more fun than having a drink with David Willets.