Day one from Tory Conference

Ok, I've found somewhere where I can piggyback off the internet, so I can try to update with what is going on at Conservative Conference.
Day One: Francis Maude pledged major changes to how Whitehall Departments are run, including bringing in private sector managers and having fixed term contracts for civil servants to keep more continuity. I sat in on a fringe meeting at which he spoke, and the ideas sound very solid - although more needs to be said about how exactly this will help bring about the radical change that many Whitehall departments require.
Boris Johnson (everyone's favourite Tory) landed feet-first into the debate on Europe by saying the Conservatives should offer a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty no matter what the status of the Treaty was when the Conservative Party came into office.
I went to a very interesting fringe event in the 'Freedom Zone' about how the Conservative Party was going to combat the 'bully state'. Unfortunately there were only three speakers who were opposed to state intervention in our lives - it would have been very interesting to hear a counterpoint from someone who believes intervention is a good thing, or who subscribes to the 'nudge' theory.
Bruges Group held a meeting on 'Have Politicians failed us?', their answer was (unsurprisingly) that yes, they had. This was probably my first experience of the hardline Tory right, especially their feelings on Europe. Needless to say, it wasn't always a comfortable place to be.
So, that is just a few of the highlights (one highlight was, without a doubt, the excellent free food put on by Reform!). I'll try to keep more on top of things today and update more often!