good evening and welcome to bbc news. it s been a tough day that s how the chancellor began his speech to the party faithful at the conservative party conference this afternoon. it follows a dramatic u turn this morning when the government suddenly dropped its plan to scrap the 45p top rate of income tax. only yesterday, the prime minister had insisted the tax cut would stay except in scotland. but now kwasi kwarteng says criticism of the measure had become a huge distraction that had drowned out other measures announced in the government s so called mini budgetjust 10 days ago. his change of heart followed mounting opposition among tory mps to the tax cut. our political editor, chris mason, reports. first thing this morning, things are moving. and fast. the planned tax cut for the highest paid is being junked. the government has blinked. it was an ambitious plan, and we talked to lots of people up and down the country. i saw the reaction. we considered what to do w