Conference Review - Day 2 Part2

I only caught bits of the late morning and afternoon sessions.

Chris Grayling

Content -3 Delivery - 4

This was the low point of the conference I hope. Rather than setting out a big vision landscape and then populate it with detail Grayling spent most of the first part of his speech waffling about the evils of 'super-strength' cider and alcopops.

It was terrible. He doesn't look or sound like a Home Secretary. The audience looked bored. I was bored and can't really remember what he said towards the end of his speech - I was too busy looking for sharp object to help end it all.

Oh I feel cruel having written that but it's true. I think Chris Grayling is a nice man - and that's the problem. He should be doing Environment or be Minister for Stray Dogs. To cast him as 'an attack dog', as he has been in the media, just doesn't work. Basically, at this point in his career he seems over-promoted.

I reckon you need a hard man with experience, principles and compassion as Home Sec not a soft man trying to be hard.

Come back David Davis, all is forgiven..

David Willetts

Content - 8 Delivery - 8

I didn't catch all of Willett's speech but the bit I did get seemed very interesting packed full of well thought out detail. Delivery was v. good and he avoided the mind-numbing exercise of asking the audience to clap at inappropriate moments by raising his voice at the end of sentences and pausing. He had to stop speaking when people started applauding - much better in this regard than almost all the other speakers.

Even the insects were interested..