There’s really only one topic of conversation at the Conservative Party conference … and it’s certainly not the Windsor Framework.
Westminster parties tend not to play politics when it comes to Northern Ireland, but this year Chris Heaton-Harris in his speech to conference took a pot shot at the Labour leader for not committing to take a side on a border poll. In this sort of atmosphere there’s not much enthusiasm for rehashing a debate conservatives believe has already been sorted. Holding on in government is more important to Tory delegates than discussing the intricacies of how to restore government in Northern Ireland
But it would be wrong to suggest the government has given up on sorting out unionist concerns over the Framework. Work is underway behind the scenes to try to pave the way back to government for the DUP. The last Secretary of State who tried to spin his way out the Brexit conundrum was Brandon Lewis who tried to tell everyone the NI Protocol had not created a trade border in the Irish Sea. As we all know, that didn’t end well.
Routine or not, delegates will use the meeting as an opportunity to question their leader on his discussions with government.