In what is shaping up to be the most tempestuous Tory conferences in half a decade, discipline is out of the window as Andrew Mitchell announces he is unable to attend in the wake of gate-gate. For the Chief Whip to be forced to hide under a rock is both a humiliation and a real problem for the PM. Mitchell apparently does not want to be a distraction. That’s going well…

UPDATE: Coincidently, look who has popped up:

My #cpc12 speeches on ending public funding for Trade Unions; Defence and Scottish independence; and re-broadening the Conservatives' appeal

— Dr Liam Fox MP (@LiamFoxMP) October 3, 2012

UPDATE II: Twitter users point out that Mitchell’s constituency is the closest Tory seat to the conference venue…