IT IS time to take on China, Priti Patel told the Tory conference today, a rhetorical escalation of the party’s support for an emerging cold war.

The shadow foreign secretary said: “Look at China, China’s economy is not based on open markets, free trade, proper skills — they use slave labour, for example, look at the persecution of [...] the Uighurs.

“Not only do we have to confront this, but we have to invest in our own countries and adopt a completely different posture.”

Dame Priti was joined on stage by a Ukrainian officer introduced only as Major Pablo and Jack Lopresti, a former Tory MP who, having lost his seat in the general election, volunteered to fight in Ukraine against Russia.

They symbolised the Conservatives’ unwavering commitment to keeping the conflict in Ukraine going while they gear up to confront China.