Hands up those who remember Labour's "ethical foreign policy", announced by Robin Cook in 1997 before he resorted to old-fashioned gunboat diplomacy in Sierra Leone. The Conservatives do, and as with many other long forgotten policies, they are prepared to whip it from their opponents.

The Tories announced yesterday that they had invited Aung San Suu Kyi to attend their party conference next week. Since the Burmese democracy leader has been under house arrest for 10 years she is unlikely to appear. Still, William Hague, shadow foreign secretary, has sent her a letter of encouragement; how nice. Burmese activist Zoya Phan will address the conference instead.