Some final reflections on the conference season

THESE past three weeks have been dominated by Gordon "will he or won't he call an election" Brown. I'm certain all the speculation was deliberately intended to destabilise the Tories and panic them into publishing key details of their manifesto. In part it worked. The Conservatives did make major announcements. What Brown and the too-clever-by-half Ed Balls hadn't accounted for was that the Tories would unite at the prospect of an election.

David Cameron's speech yesterday was a masterpiece of delivery. No script to read, no autocue to prompt. It was a virtuoso performance which even Labour are put to decry. Cameron's speech was undoubtedly the best of the three leaders. George Osborne, William Hague and even the much maligned Iain Duncan Smith gave more polished performances than Gordon Brown and Sir Menzies Campbell.

The odds that there's to be an election next month look to be about 80-20 in favour. But if Brown does press the button, I think the great apathetic British voters will take no notice - don't forget Thursdays are traditional late night shopping days for Christmas - and either stay at home or give the PM a nasty lesson. Labour won't lose, but I don't predict another landslide. Cameron should do enough to remain Tory leader and finish the job next time.