I'm sitting in the middle of the conference hall here in Manchester listening to Chris Grayling open the law and order debate.
In the past this debate at a Conservative conference would have been packed and heaving - it was always one of the highlight of the week, with party activists cheering any call for capital or corporal punishment.
Yet at this moment, with the shadow home secretary speaking, the hall is not even half full. Long rows of seats are empty.
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I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
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Comment number 1.
At 7th Oct 2009, lordBeddGelert wrote:Well, he certainly has managed to get people's attention now !!!
Ace work by the Newsnight team..
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Comment number 2.
At 7th Oct 2009, JunkkMale wrote:1. At 2:48pm on 07 Oct 2009, lordBeddGelert wrote:
Well, he certainly has managed to get people's attention now !!!
A brief coffee break gives me no opportunity to seek greater clarification of what that might portend, news wise. Ironic to be alerted via a blogger albeit on an 'established media' blog. I am sure further, more informative 'official' news of events will be interpreted soon.
However, it seems I can rely on the news gathering might assembled here to give me... er.. (non) attendance figures. Assuming the reporter is facing the right direction at any given moment, much less paying attention to actually 'stuff' beyond errant fizzy drink servings, decades old school or uni indiscretions, etc.
Great, some might say a unique, use of the licence fee.
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Comment number 3.
At 11th Oct 2009, afleetman wrote:Lots of empty seats. You mean like the Labour conference
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Comment number 4.
At 11th Oct 2009, Essential Rabbit wrote:Lots of empty seats?
A bit like this blog really.
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