The Conservative Party has been desperately doing whatever they can to be more popular and it's working for them: they're favourites to be back in power next year for the first time since 1997.

Spotting the importance of pubs to people, the Tories are

making something of their commitments to 'Save The Great British Pub' and part of this involves adding a pub quiz event to their party conference taking place next month in Manchester.

Quizmaster is party chairman Eric Pickles and as the Tory website says, there will be also be guest celebrity question-masters. Maybe the real celebrities have yet to be booked as so far they appear to be making do with William Roache (Ken Barlow).

The competition is sponsored by the British Beer And Pub Association and it will be interesting to see how much the Tories make of 'saving the Great British Pub' in their election campaign next year.

Pubs need all the help they can get at the moment and, in an era where Tory and Labour are virtually identical, it could be a vote winner.