Battle for the party moves to the fringe meetings

TORIES IN BLACKPOOL

A fringe meeting called Europe - the Battle for Britain, and hosted by the right-wing Freedom Association, is due to be held tonight. All the members of the so-called Group of Seven, formerly whipless, MPs are down to speak.

It could equally have been entitled the Battle for the Soul of the Conservative Party, such is the determination the issue continues to provoke.

The meeting, to be followed up by two fringe appearances by the vanquished leadership challenger John Redwood, show that this year, as in all others in recent memory, the big battles will take place away from the anaesthetised atmosphere of the conference hall. It is a scene repeated in hotel venues all over Blackpool this week.

Nothing can quite match the almost revivalist fervour of the Tory fringe - and its domination by one faction of the party.

At another Freedom Association/National Young Conservatives event, right wingers Edward Leigh MP and Iain Duncan-Smith will speak on The Future of Conservatism.

Then follows the first of the well-established crowd-pulling annual events, the Thatcherite Conservative Way Forward lunchtime meetings where Michael Portillo will get his opportunity to speak to the converted, while Peter Lilley takes the microphone at a second lunchtime Way Forward meeting.

Possibly buoyed by the summer reshuffle, but probably because it is not in their nature, a full-bloodied fightback by the centre-left is hard to divine.

The Bow Group will debate the future of the British film industry, and the Conservative Group for Europe has convened no speakers, holding only a reception - although the Tory Reform Group has invited Stephen Dorrell, Secretary of State for Health, to speak at its dinner.

The Sunday Telegraph has organised a debate between Mr Dorrell and Mr Redwood on Thursday night.