No wonder part of the media keep pressing the leading questions about when is Brown going to step down and demanding to know what pills he is taking to avoid discussing the awkward fact that the Conservative line on the international recession was to Do Nothing to boost the UK economy.

Who would think now that it was Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke MP who suggested cutting the VAT rate last year?

Old news. The Tory lead has just doubled to 14pts since the Sun’s endorsement. Rofl.

Have you given up all pretence of supporting the Greens now, Sunny, and crawled back to Labour with your tail between your legs?

You seem increasingly desperate to pretend Labour is doing well, or else to blame all their woes on the meeeja.

a) polls always rise after exposure

b) “Not encouraging for the impact of the Sun.” It’s been pretty much agreed by now, has it not, that the Sun is not influencing anything, it is following the general mood of a Tory victory.

c) If support is going to be up over the longer term, it is only going to be by pandering to the fascist wing of this country, so let’s not clap too loudly

@3, Shatterface: What on earth are you on about. This is an interesting poll result– Sunny’s just reporting something interesting and current. Stop seeing everything through a party-partisanship-tinted lens; there are parts of some parties he likes and parts he doesn’t like, just the same as any other (reasonable) person.

It was a good speech, but I think he’s playing too his strengths. There’s no point in trying to crack jokes or smile. It doesn’t come off. I think the best line to take is that he may be a charmless weirdo with anger management issues but on the other hand he does know what he’s doing, which is more than you can say for his oppo. The public need to be reminded that they’re choosing a PM, not a dinner party guest.

The daily polling I suspect is down to statistical error. We’re probably in the high twenties. I don’t assume that the tories will pull away next week. Remember the Lisbon grenade will be tossed into the middle of the event and this stuff brings out the worst in them. Cameron may regret not getting his story straight in advance. Remember we only need about 35 to win. This is not over.

Mid conference polls are notorious. Ignore this one.

In three weeks time, see where the polls stand. If there has been a change from pre conference levels, then you can come back to this one to find out why.

But I am guessing that there won’t. There usually isn’t

shatterface – you really do froth-at-the-mouth a lot don’t you?

praguetory – I know reading doesn’t come easy to you, but this poll was taken the same day as the Tory lead grew.

The headline is the headline. It’s not the media’s narrative, not what some of you want to hear, but it’s a fact. Now wipe your mouths and step away from the computer.

Just watch this on Murdoch and journalism in America to appreciate why Cameron’s decision to hire Andy Coulson as the Conservative communications director was a smart move:
http://video.google.co.uk/?hl=en&tab=nv

Have to say I’m entirely with “Dontmindme”, and I think for the last few years I have blogged each year during Conference season that watching the polls for the three main parties is pointless. If you get blanket coverage for almost a week you;re going to see people say more positive things. The thing to really look at are the polls at the end of October – unless you’re spread betting or something.

To my surprise I found Brown came across very well – I think he is trying to create the kind of ‘siege mentality’ that Fergie tends to favour if Man U suffer a few bad results?