Top Tories in Town

Wales is over-run with Tories at the moment. Top Tories everywhere. Tomorrow is a Welsh Tory-fest with David Cameron and the entire Shadow Cabinet in town. Its clear that we really mean business on May 3rd. We want you to know that we are ready to take a share of power in the National Assembly

Went to a Institute of Welsh Affairs lunch today where Cheryl Gillan was warming up for tomorrow. After the speech came questions and first up was Darren Hill from positif politics. What is Cheryl's opinion of PR in Welsh local government. Bit of a googly, which she flicked away by saying that this was a matter for the party in Wales - even if she personally preferred 'first-past-the-post'. Good answer, I thought. And then Geraint Talfan Davies asked what policies she saw as making the Tories distinct in Wales. Another googly, in the sense that the Manifesto is not being published until next week - and she couldn't really spill the beans today. And then it was Andy Klom, the EU's man in Wales, asking Cheryl about where we are going in Europe now that we are committed to leaving the European People's Party. This was a snorter of a ball which was played with a straight bat. We are at the 'embryonic' stage of forming a new centre/right grouping in the European Parliament. An all round polished performance from Cheryl, I thought.

And then tonight, a dinner in Llandrindod with David Liddington, Oliver Heald and Hugo Squire, rising stars of our party. All three had been in North Wales all day and called en route to Cardiff for tomorrow. Three men to watch.

And so, on to tomorrow. Shadow Cabinet meeting in Cardiff and then top Tories radiating out in every direction. I'm taking Caroline Spelman to Newtown and Welshpool in the afternoon where we are backing Dan Munford. I'm told Charles Kennedy and Lembit Opik are also joining Mick Bates in a street walk in Newtown tomorrow. I'd have thought poor old Mick had enough to worry about without these two electoral liabilities making things worse.