“There are some things to be cheery about,” said Penny Mordaunt, cheerily, in the Heathrow Lounge in the Manchester Central Convention Complex last Tuesday, as she sipped her coffee and smiled benignly. Not the economy, not improving figures on immigration, nor any good news about sewage, concrete, knife crime, strikes or, er, all the other issues currently blighting the country. No, she was talking about the refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster, which is in urgent need of repairs, and which she is steering. And while she espoused the improvements in her traditionally charming, conciliatory way, it was never going to light up this conference.
It wasn’t that sort of year.
