Five facts from the Welsh Tory conference

1. Party members gave a standing ovation to a video - before it started. I think they were expecting DC in person.

2. The Tories would rename the Wales Office the Welsh Office - back to the future and a spending commitment unless they keep the existing signs on Gwydyr House.

3. David Cameron's hailed a war on waste as the party's European group offered all free mints, chocolate and writing pads bearing the Tory logo.

4. Welsh Tory MEP Kay Swinburne is the Queen of Hearts in a pack of cards featuring Euro-MPs - another freebie on offer.

5. The big question for the media - are chairmen Eric Pickles and Lyndon Jones twins or Russian dolls? Open up Eric and find Lyndon inside. Eric says they are the Mitchell brothers of British politics - which makes Cheryl Gillan Peggy Mitchell.

Same old Tories

Lyndon Jones has never been so popular. The president of the Welsh Conservatives has this week received a request from The Observer for a comment and been praised for a speech he made to English Tory activists.

Mr Jones was too modest to accept either the invitation to comment or the unsolicited praise, both of which were intended for another robust Tory figure, party chairman Eric Pickles.

I have yet to see a photograph of the two of them in the same place, so perhaps they are one and the same person.

Alternatively, Mr Jones could secure lucrative employment as Mr Pickles' stunt double.

Mr Pickles has the slightly more substantial figure so there is another theory that they are both from the same series of  Russian-style Tory dolls. Lift the lid on "Uncle Eric" and out pops Lyndon.