While lockdown put most of life on hold for 18 months, it dealt a hammer blow to the eternal source of embarrassing stories: young Tory socials. Guido was delighted, therefore, to see Manchester Met’s Tory society get the ball rolling again with their ‘Northern Reception’ this weekend – a traditional excessively-boozy black-tie p*ss-up. Naughtily branded after the infamous official conference Northern reception…

Among the night’s scenes were black-out drunk taxi rides, table-banging bagpipe performances and a Cameo appearance from Nigel Farage, who was greeted as a god.

Farage’s pre-scripted joke about expecting an angry email from CCHQ the next morning may very well have been met, given the party concluded with one attendee having to go to hospital after too much alcohol.

Despite the chaotic scenes, it looks like a repeat event is being planned by the society to coincide with Manchester’s conference, this time with York, Durham and Newcastle Tories asking to join in. CCHQ will be in cold sweats…