If there was one thing missing from David Cameron’s speech it was a mention of his old friend, Nick.

We clearly don’t do coalitions very well in this country.

While the Tory leader was happy to run through the achievements of his government, he was unwilling to say a kind word about the man who helped to put him in Number 10, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.

Not that the Lib Dems were much better at their conference.

When they did mention the Tories, it was usually to paint them as ogres who would be busy fleecing the poor and swigging Champagne with their city chums – if only the kind hearted Lib Dems hadn’t stopped them.

But there are occasions when politicians manage to reach out to the other side.

As has been widely reported, Birmingham’s only Conservative MP, Andrew Mitchell, couldn’t make it to the Conservative conference this year.

But one Birmingham MP was there – Labour’s Gisela Stuart took part in an event to fly the flag for Brum.