Politics editor's five minutes with the party leaders

At the start of the party conference season the regional correspondents are invited up to Westminster a few days before to queue up with our colleagues for a few minutes face-time.

To be honest the odds are against landing a scoop this way.

A skilled politician can deflect, playing for time in the knowledge you have to cover a range of local subjects. You're also aiming to work in some more personal angle, and make the whole conversation hang together, as someone counts down to the end of your fixed slot.

This year there was one innovation. The Prime Minister decided to do the sit-downs standing up.

I asked Sir Keir Starmer why. Was it his lawyer's training? "I could have worn a wig!" he quipped. "No, I just like it this way."

It does make a difference. A standing conversation is more like a brief chat in the office or a speech from a podium.

Was Sir Keir trying not to get drawn into a more in-depth discussion? Sir Ed Davey and Nigel Farage were happy to take a seat for this year's appointment. But then they had less to lose.

There is so much more to ask the Prime Minister, and as ever five minutes can't do it justice.

The other problem we have this year is the Conservatives.

At the moment they are suggesting we interview all four contenders to be the future leader, rather than Rishi Sunak.

The last interview I did with him was his last as Prime Minister, at a Hampshire school on the last day of the election campaign.

He told me he was looking forward to spending more time with his two daughters. And so it turned out... perhaps we do get some straight answers, occasionally.