Conservative Party members gather in Birmingham (Image: Getty)
The faint whiff of cruelty hangs over the Conservative Party’s first autumn conference since its historic election defeat.
Four candidates are battling it out for the attention of MPs, journalists and, crucially, party members who will have the final say in the leadership contest.
From dawn till dusk, they face an endurance test of breakfast rallies, grillings on the main stage, fringe events and late night parties, smiling, pressing the flesh, making small talk and giving big pitches for why it should be them.
Don’t miss…
While they slug it out against each other publicly, allies fight the battles privately.
Chilly does not come close to covering the animosity between some of the rivals when forced to share a television studio or speak at the same event.
Even those of a less than sensitive disposition can spot the awkward body language a mile off.
Contest organisers introduced a yellow card system to stop a repeat of the blue on blue attacks witnessed when Liz Truss and fought for the top job.
Don’t miss…
But setting up such a long contest that includes a four day conference with members was only ever going to rub salt in the party’s gaping wounds.
It is only likely to get worse before the conference ends on Wednesday afternoon and then there is still another month to go.
With only 121 Conservative MPs left, forcing the party into factions seems like a cruel punishment on the back of a devastating defeat.