Andy McSmith's Diary: Demonstrators' shouts of 'Tory scum' reach unlikely targets

At the party thrown by ConservativeHome, a Tory MP began his speech by addressing guests as 'fellow Tory scum'

Anti-austerity campaigners continued their protests outside the conference after the singer Charlotte Church said she is “really sorry” for the behaviour of some among their number after journalists entering the building were spat upon. Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, also urged ‘civilised debate’ in Manchester last night at a protest organised by the Communication Workers’ Union (Getty)

The demonstrators’ practice of shouting “Tory scum” at anyone seen entering the Conservative conference enclosure is getting silly. Those words were hurled at Owen Jones, cheerleader for the Corbynites – though as he turned to face the person who thus abused him, he was recognised, and received a prompt apology.

The same insult has been shouted at Kevin Maguire, of the Daily Mirror, whom Jeremy Corbyn tried in vain to enlist as his spin doctor. At the party thrown by ConservativeHome, Tory MP Graham Brady began his speech by addressing the guests as “fellow Tory scum”.

Peston modest to a fault?

Word swept through Manchester late on Sunday night that Robert Peston had finally agreed to be Political Editor of ITV, making it a condition that he should host a Sunday morning show, going head to head with Andrew Marr.

Marr, who was in Manchester promoting his latest political thriller, Children of the Master, claimed to be desperate not to lose Peston as a colleague. “I have offered to auction all my children to raise money to keep Robert Peston in the BBC,” he said. “The problem with Robert is that he is crippled by modesty. He has no sense of self.”

Or could it be that this was said with a hint of sarcasm?

Old news, new bestseller

An avalanche of publicity for a new book does not always translate into sales. On the eve of the 2002 Conservative conference, Edwina Currie published her diary, with its sensational revelation of her three-year sexual dalliance with John Major. A lorry load of copies were delivered to conference. It sold 14.

Michael Ashcroft’s and Isabel Oakeshott’s biography of David Cameron, a weightier tome, has done better. It has sold around 30 copies, but is likely to be outsold by Volume 2 of Charles Moore’s massive biography of Margaret Thatcher, copies of which were delivered today.