Britain’s party conference season by the sea is entering its final week, overshadowed by the spectre of a snap autumn election Gordon Brown may call if he feels sure he can win and thereby establish his own mandate and legitimacy.

Labour party cadres have just left their seaside conference palpably feeling they can walk on water. As the Tories approach their own conference they are still trying to steady their sea legs. This really is a make or break week for David Cameron, the Conservative leader. And he has a lot of work to do.