Michael Caine at the Conservative press conference

At Tory press conference, and we’re being treated to Sir Michael Caine!

Only last year he said he didn’t “know what Cameron is going to do but in the end you vote out of desperation”.

He also said there were 3.5 million “layabouts laying about on benefits” in this country. Not sure that entirely fits in with the spirit of the film we’re being shown about hope for youngsters from difficult backgrounds.

The press conference is all about David Cameron’s pet project of a youth service scheme for 16-year-olds – something he privately hopes will be a real footprint he can leave on Britain in austere times.

The party had been pretty shy about talking about this for a while, some colleagues here say they thought it had been quietly buried. I’m told the party thought it lacked credibility – something they clearly now hope has been rectified.