Evening Briefing: George Osborne, Tory leader?

Big speeches were never George Osborne's thing. For years, his delivery was faltering and awkward, with rounds of applause and full-body cringes arriving in about equal measure. Today, though, it was different.

True, the content was fairly underwhelming: next to Ed Miliband's energy price freeze, a frozen fuel duty seems weirdly small beer – there really was no wow factor, policy-wise. Mr Osborne explained that he's not pro unfunded tax cuts, so those will have to wait until the deficit is paid off (at the end of the decade, so don't hold your breath).

But the confident and assured manner of his delivery (as well as his haircut) had Tory Conference talking. The Chancellor looked genuinely comfortable on stage. His speech was stuffed with acidic jokes (David and Ed Miliband, he said, are the greatest sibling rivalry since the bible: "Cain and not very Abel") and an optimistic message ("The sun has started to rise above the hill and the future looks brighter than it did just a few dark years ago").

Mr Osborne's friends deny he has leadership ambitions, or that he'll ever be a real contender post-Cameron. But – though it remains a long shot – after today's performance, it's not as unlikely as it once was…

BORIS, LOYAL?

Hurricane Boris made landfall this evening, but forecasters were surprised by the storm's mild effects. The Blond One is speaking in the main hall tomorrow (see agenda below) and usually likes to irritate his party's leadership with a cheeky song and dance. But something strange happened today. At a ConservativeHome reception, he warned traditional Tories that they risk handing power to Labour if they defect and vote for Ukip. It "would help to put Miliband in power", he said, and "deprive me… of a chance to have a vote on Europe in a referendum". Interestingly, that is very much the evolving No 10 "line to take": vote Ukip, get Labour. So Boris is looking suspiciously loyal. Has his old election guru Lynton Crosby reined him in?

Boris joke of the day: "Ukip if you want to. David Cameron is not for kipping… unless, obviously, when he's at his sister-in-law's wedding."

CRAZY MAY

Talking of leadership contenders, Theresa May's speech to conference passed off remarkably quietly. There were a few good anecdotes – she revealed that Abu Qatada referred to her as "Crazy May" to an immigration official – plus a hint at Britain's complete withdrawal from the ECHR… and the usual eye-catching footwear. But no sign of a Home Secretary on manoeuvres. This may simply reflect the fact that the Tory party is in good heart. Or they are simply transforming into election-fighting mode.

THE UKIP PLAGUE

Nigel Farage has admitted that – in the eyes of the Tory leadership – he is considered a "plague carrier". Speaking to the Telegraph in the conference's non-secure zone, he said: "I'm a member of the lower orders and I'm confined to outside the barracks… Well, I think I'm a plague carrier, certainly as far as they're concerned." Video here.

Mr Farage claims that David Cameron "despises" Ukip. Last week, however, former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell referred to Ukip members as the Tories' "cousins" and said "we want them back". If the PM really is going to "reunite the Right", as Cabinet ministers put it, doesn't there need to be reconciliation with Cousin Nigel?

SHOOT BOLES

Nick Boles has admitted that his planning reforms could cost the Conservative Party votes at the General Election. So he has been trying to win over older voters with moral arguments about looking after the next generation. "Politics is full of occasions where you have to persuade people to go along with things that are not immediately and directly serving their own narrow interests."

Frankly, though, it doesn't seem like he's having much luck. "If I am planning minister after the next election, shoot me," he said. Don't worry, Nick. Plenty of your colleagues would be more than willing to lend a hand.

RED ED 'HIT A NERVE'

The Tories really don't know how to respond to Ed Miliband's promise of a 20-month energy price freeze. But at least they know that they don't know. Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, said at a fringe meeting today that Red Ed's pledge had "hit a nerve" with the public and the Conservatives must respond with concrete policies of their own. His party, he said, needs to "really address the challenge of domestic energy bills".

One Cabinet minister told the the Telegraph: "Miliband has set a trap and we would be mad to walk into it by standing up for companies that people hate." Another minister says: "Our line is a joke. I'm trying to avoid answering the question in public until we've got a proper answer." The Tories' cage has been well and truly rattled. More analysis here.

HS2 BYPASS

The Transport Secretary wasn't trying to be diplomatic today when he said people should stop "moaning" about HS2. Patrick McLoughlin says it will provide an "essential heart bypass" for the UK's transport system and that the £50 billion project will "take the strain off our roads". He did concede, though, that the Government needs to "cut down on costs". HS2 remains one of the political footballs of the conference season…