Thread by @e_casalicchio

Tory deputy chair James Cleverly tells @Jack_Blanchard_ at the @POLITICOEurope happy hour event that the main stage set cannot fall apart this year: THERE IS NO FUZZY FELT.

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly says he was wincing during the Labour conference and thought: "Please make it stop."

Blanchard: "You did make it stop by losing in the Supreme Court."

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly on an an election: "Hopefully we are quire close to an election and when the opposition party develops a bit of a backbone we will have an election." @POLITICOEurope Happy Hour event at #ConservativeConference2019

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly says at the last election the party had nothing to talk about beyond Brexit. He says at the next one "both parts of the equation matter" - ie public service pledges too.

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly on the online campaign war: "We could and should have done better in 2017 but our digital media output is much better now than it was then."

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly says the Tory membership now stands at 191,000. Didn't they announce yesterday their membership had reached 189,000? An extra 2,000 members overnight?

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly insists Tory rebels have not been thrown out of the party - just had the whip withdrawn. "They are still members of the Conservative party." #happyhourconservative

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly on the 21 Tory ejections: "I would love to see a route back but there has to be a real demonstration of loyalty." #happyhourconservative

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly says the Fixed Term Parliament Act may have been brought in by the Tories but it was a "mistake". #happyhourconservative

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly on the Brexit negotiations: "Deadlines make deals – if you kick the deadline down the road a deal won’t get done." #happyhourconservatives

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly says civil unrest "could happen" if Brexit is not delivered. #happyhourconservative

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly responds to the charge that the Tory party is Islamophobic: "I love my party. This is not a racist party." #happyhourconservative

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly confirms he DOES play with toy soldiers at home. But it's a sad story: "I don’t get that much chance to do that anymore. I don’t have much time." #happyhourconservative

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly on the Sunday Times scandals: "There have been things written about Boris the whole way through his career. I judge him on his professional record in office." #happyhourconservative

@Jack_Blanchard_ @POLITICOEurope Cleverly on who is favourite MP is: "@VickyFoxcroft. I get on well with her. I disagree with her on almost everything." #happyhourconservative