All four have generated media headlines, but the winner will be whoever most impresses party members, at conference and at home
The key emotion circulating at the Tories’ strangely fascinating conference was what I’ve seen described as “survivor’s elation”: a kind of giddiness in defeat, tinged with relief at no longer being in power – and a deep reluctance to candidly look at the depth of the Conservative party’s crisis. Such was the mood as the unFab Four made their big speeches: the job wasn’t to tell the faithful many home truths, but to stroke the party’s bruised collective ego.
John Harris is a Guardian columnist
Katy Balls is the Spectator’s political editor
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