Philip Hammond’s gloomy speech was a barely coded attack on Boris and Liam Fox, talking up the “difficulties” of Brexit, insisting we must remain “closely linked” to the EU, and talking down investment. His jokes fell flat too:

Hammond speech at #ConservativePartyConference flat as a pancake. Whole party intellectually lost. Confidence shattered.

— Toby Helm (@tobyhelm) October 2, 2017

Hammond: Brexit “has created uncertainty so investment has slowed as businesses wait for clarity.” Very much NOT the DIT position

— Matthew Holehouse (@mattholehouse) October 2, 2017

Philip Hammond takes a swipe at Boris Johnson in his conference speech: We must be clear-eyed about challenges & not downplay difficulties

— Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) October 2, 2017

If there was ever a Hammond for leader bandwagon, this speech has killed it.

— Robert Colvile (@rcolvile) October 2, 2017

Who on this earth writes Hammond’s speeches ? Dull, the gags are awful tired and old, refers to the hall we the old !!! It’s not surprising the young have gone elsewhere. For heavens sake someone get a grip of this party.

— Political Pictures (@PoliticalPics) October 2, 2017

That’s that then. Hammond done, and the crowd applauds with all the conviction of a funeral crowd after a particularly well read poem.

— Tom Peck (@tompeck) October 2, 2017

Fiscal Phil sends ’em to sleep…