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After Dave

Mark Devenport | 16:04 UK time, Thursday, 8 October 2009

My whistle stop visit to the Tories is coming to an end - Dave has spoken and the travelling circus is already pulling up its tent poles and getting ready to move out of town.

"Bono" who ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳NI interviewed a few years ago as he was 'bigging up' Tony Blair and Gordon Brown appeared here in the form of a video greeting. Paying tribute to people's charitable instincts he argued that was what put the "Great" in "Great Britain". So maybe he didn't read the last blog....

The Cameron speech, as predicted was a fairly sombre address designed to convince people he is a fit leader for tough times. He drew on his bereavement with the death of his son Ivan to reflect on his personal committment to the tests ahead. On the link with the Ulster Unionists, there was nothing new (he has used the line about being a passionate unionist before) but the UUP activists here will be glad to have got a mention.

As I prepare to leave Manchester, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness are heading in the opposite direction for yet more talks at Downing Street. With the DUP leader pledging to stop negotiating on the future policing budget, hearing loss and legal aid, and implying that Sinn Fein are prepared to settle for less than the DUP on these topics tonight's trilateral meeting could prove difficult.

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