CCHQ pulled a trick to keep the cameras rolling and broadcasting throughout today’s Tory presser: bookend all the most presentable Shadow Cabinet members with Osborne and Cameron. Cameron was introduced by Hague and Osborne long before he appeared. The trick worked for Cameron’s happy-faces “Big Society” launch and it worked today – by the time Baroness Warsi was on tiptoes at the podium the media were just desperate for Cameron to come out. Next trick on the broadcasters: book up all the post-manifesto launch air time with Shadow Cabinet, then keep them all sitting on the stage while Dave answers questions. The resulting empty air time gets filled up with continuing coverage of the stage, instead of Eric Pickles or Grayling embarrassing themselves…

UPDATE : Michael Salter, CCHQ’s head of broadcast is on a roll.  He was “Tory of the Day” yesterday for smoothing things over with the gay community this weekend.