Amid the welter of fringes on Europe, there was one that stood out as providing a bit of light relief to all the earnest Euroscepticism - Beers of Europe with David Lidington, the Minister of Europe, as guest speaker, who is known, of course, for believing the glass is always half full.

The days of being Coalicious really are over. Chancellor George Osborne made sure to thank all his ministerial team from the conference platform yesterday. Well, almost all.

Among the list of names one appeared to slip his mind. That was the Highlands MP Danny Alexander. And the only Liberal Democrat member of Mr Osborne's Treasury team.

Much excitement at conference as Deirdre Kelly, or "White Dee", the breakout star of last year's Benefits Street appeared at a fringe on how to help people into work.