The Conservative Party conference must raise its eyes beyond Brexit

Editorial: The Conservatives have the advantage of being in government – at least notionally – and so ought to be able to talk with more authority about realistic policies to improve Britain

A sign outside the venue yesterday for the Conservative Party annual conference in Manchester (Reuters)

It is symbolic that the party of government could not muster the votes in parliament to adjourn proceedings for the three days of its annual conference. Thus most Conservative MPs will be required to stay in London, in case the opposition mounts an ambush in the House of Commons, while only the chief panjandrums will travel to Manchester to address the nervous activists.

Yet the proceedings in Manchester will still be important, even if they do nothing to “get Brexit done”, which is the conference slogan. Because there is politics beyond Brexit; there are things the government can do, even without a majority in parliament; and there will, soon enough, be a general election.

So it is worth noting that Boris Johnson has shifted the Conservative Party’s policy on issues other than Brexit. Theresa May announced the end of austerity, and set out ambitious spending plans for the health service. But Sajid Javid, the chancellor, has now set out plans for a substantial increase in non-NHS public spending for next year, including higher funding for schools, police and social care.