Tory Conference attendees will not be allowed to bring any flags into the secure zone. A new email sent to attendees this afternoon reveals “enhanced security measures” for this year, including an outright ban on “all flags and banners“. All part of a crackdown on “ambush marketing”…

A Tory source told Guido:

“I assume ‘flags intended for ambush marketing’ doesn’t include the Union Jack. Perhaps CCHQ can clarify. Otherwise it’s obvious what will happen: those poor souls tasked with having to interpret and enforce this rule will err on the side of caution and ban all flags. So we’d have yet more bans and regulations, and this time quite an unpatriotic one, from a Party that’s supposed to be about freedom of thought and expression, not to mention pride in our country!”

Guido’s asked CCHQ for clarification…

UPDATE: Guido victory! A Conservative spokesperson says: “Union flags will not be banned from conference.”Presumably it will be up to the security staff to decide what an ambush flag looks like…