Two of Mr Davis's helpers show off the latest Torywear. Photograph: Paul Ellis / AP
And so the battle has begun. Each candidate's supporters are touring the halls and fringes, buttonholing delegates and journalists in support of their man, and they are still all men, unless Theresa May surprises us this afternoon.
David Davis's team of young women are dressed in T-shirts proclaiming "it's DD for me". They are handing out to any uncommitted delegate freshly printed plastic bags with David Davis's slogan "modern Conservatives" emblazoned on the front.
Attempts to find out if this was funded by the JCB tycoon and new Davis donor Sir Anthony Bamford were politely rebuffed.
Inside you get a glossy David Davis booklet, with a "seductive" photo, containing all his recent speeches. Also included is a rubber wristband, of the sort made famous in July by the Make Poverty History campaign, to give Mr Davis's bid that important sense of momentum. His camp have claimed that they have 66 MP supporters signed up, just 1 short of the 67 he needs to make it through to the second round. What they are less sure about is his strength with the activists, hence the free gifts.
No sight yet of any glitzy accessories from the others yet. David Cameron's young women were handing out photocopies of the Guardian poll in an attempt to show how their man could return those crucial swing voters to the fold.
Mr Cameron has a real fight on his hands to secure second place in the MPs' ballot, without which he won't go through to the membership vote. He was out early this morning practising his platform speech to an empty hall. According to those who heard it, it was a repeat of his well-received launch last Thursday when he spoke without notes about fundamentally changing the party. The thinking is: If it worked, why not do it again? They judged this by the rattled comment from his opponent's supporters in the Sunday Telegraph that Mr Cameron's stylish performance was an "aromatherapy launch" So should DD of the SAS fear DC?
We'll find out this week thanks to Channel 4's Clapometer, which is measuring how warmly each speech is received in the hall.
