Steerpike

Oh dear. After yesterday's calamitous leader's speech, Theresa May's position looks a little less secure than it did prior to her party's conference. Although Cabinet ministers are said to have called her to say she ought to stay in post, others take a different view. Ed Vaizey has just spoken to BBC Radio Oxford. Asked about May's future, the Cameroon said that 'quite a few want her to resign'. As for himself? EV: One of the things I would say is that I thought the Tory party conference was a great opportunity to reboot the party and therefore reboot the country and give it a clear sense of direction. That didn't happen so yes I am concerned. BBC: Do you think she should step aside now? EV: Well, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to see a way forward.

It's safe to say that Theresa May's conference speech has not gone to plan after the Prime Minister came down with a bad cough – and a heckler presented her with a P45. Happily she has her Cabinet on her side. Or one Cabinet minister at least. Amber Rudd was caught on camera jumping to her feet to give May a standing ovation to help her during an awkward moment in the speech. The Home Secretary then appeared to order Boris Johnson to do the same: https://twitter.com/hansmollman/status/915536471418900480 1-0 to Rudd...

Although Conservative MPs have managed to keep a lot of their anger under wraps at this year's conference, others have chosen to be less subtle when it comes to airing annoyance at losing the Tory majority in the snap election. Over the weekend, Grant Shapps wrote a blistering editorial for the Mail on Sunday where he suggested Patrick McLoughlin should be axed as party chairman over the election debacle: 'Patrick is well liked by colleagues but, unfortunately, he was officially the head of a campaign which lost our majority in June. Theresa May’s decision to put him back in the same role signals to many a lack of understanding about the scale of the challenge we face. Although Patrick will doubtless turn in a faultless performance, he shows every sign of hating the job.

Is the prospect of Prime Minister Jeremy Corbyn galvanising Tory ministers into rallying around Theresa May? Steve Baker MP, a lead Brexiteer – and one of the key junior ministers in the Department for Exiting the EU – today told an audience that he is 'enthusiastic' about Theresa May's approach to Brexit. Speaking at a European Conservatives and Reformists event, Baker explained that he was happy with the PM's position and that there is now 'no going back'. Theresa May's Florence speech 'doesn’t mean she’s backed away from the red lines she previously set out,' he explained. But despite saying that his own department never feels nervous, he seemed slightly more concerned about the prospect of Corbyn coming to power.

Liam Fox answered the question on everyone’s lips today. No, it wasn’t what he thought of Boris Johnson’s Brexit interventions (although he did say the Foreign Secretary was no different from him in expressing himself in ’his own colourful way’). Instead, he revealed what it is he does all day. Given that for as long as Britain remains in the EU, the UK cannot sign any free trade deals, it’s a legitimate question to ask of the international trade secretary. So what is it Fox actually does? At a fringe event at Tory conference, Fox said that he’s been keeping very busy, thank you very much, and that he spent most of his time ‘looking at opportunities’ for British exporters.

This year's Labour party conference saw a more radical approach adopted by the leadership. In his leader's speech, Jeremy Corbyn called for an end to neo-liberalism – describing his party's pitch as 21st century socialism. So, how best to bring an end to neo-liberalism? Happily, Paul Mason – the Channel 4 journalist-turned-left-wing-revolutionary – was on hand at Momentum's festival to offer some tips on how to put a stop to the scourge of neo-liberalism: talk to Pret A Manger workers. 'I think everyone in this room could imagine a small way to action that you have in your life. I try and talk to Pret workers and talk to McDonalds workers because they're supposed to be nice to me but if you talk to them it humanises the situation.

John McDonnell has never had an easy relationship with big business. The shadow chancellor thinks there is a 'lot to learn' from Karl Marx and says one of his favourite pastimes is 'fermenting the conditions to overthrow capitalism'. McDonnell is hoping his latest charm offensive to woo businesses will help them to forget those remarks. But the shadow chancellor might have to try a bit harder to win them over. The Labour Business Fringe Reception at the party's conference last night was a chance to do just that. A smattering of businesses, including Microsoft, were there. The only problem? John McDonnell was nowhere to be seen. After waiting over an hour for the shadow chancellor, many of those attending took the hint and decided to move on elsewhere. Mr S.

This year's Labour conference has been largely overshadowed by a row about anti-Semitism. At a Labour Friends of Israel event on the final night of the party’s conference, Jeremy Corbyn had a perfect opportunity to send a message of support to worried Jewish Labour members. Instead, he didn’t show up. Labour MP Joan Ryan, who was chairing the event, said she was 'disappointed' Corbyn didn’t come. Some in the crowd were not happy either at the Labour leader's decision to stay away, with cries of 'Where is he?' and 'Why is he not here?