Eric in a Pickle on eve of Conference

9.07.34pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 4th Oct 2009

Eric Pickles feeble attempts to explain the Conservative position on a referendum following the Irish vote has provided the the best entertainment of the conference season so far.

Scheduling the Irish referendum for the eve of the Conservative conference is the stuff of political soap opera. Having hoped for a showcase to display their lacklustre policies, suddenly the Conservatives' most divisive issue comes back to haunt them like a giant Euro chicken coming home to roost in Manchester.

All that talk of honesty and being straight with the British people comes to nothing if Cameron can't answer the question of whether or not there will be a referendum if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified by all member countries before the general election. Twisting and turning is no answer. Watching Eric Pickles squirm when questioned about this has, of course, provided the entertainment for the evening.

Not quite how the Conservatives hoped to start their conference.

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