Tory conference is getting itself into a right lather about who might be the next defector to UKIP, with an, as yet, baseless rumour that someone will jump in time for Cameron’s speech tomorrow. It would certainly be a punchy move, and Guido wonders whether the public would like such a brazenly calculated departure.

Right-wingers are queuing up to say ‘it ain’t me, guv’. Mark Pritchard tells Guido:

“I will not be defecting to UKIP. My beating heart is Conservative. I joined the Party long before David Cameron – and I will still be part of it long after David Cameron is gone.”

There is also growing talk of a ‘put or shut up’ style ‘well go on then’ moment for the Prime Minister, which would please the likes of Matthew Parris. It would certainly take the sting out of any future drip, drip, drip of defectors.