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It's simple says what I must call a senior Conservative source: it is about how many of us are prepared to be bold. It's about how many are prepared now to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

The answer, I suspect at the moment, is not quite enough. A majority of Conservative AMs might be angry with Mr Bourne and have lost faith in him as leader to one extent or another but if one or two are "prepared to smile" while "storing dissent", have concluded that it would be wise to listen to senior voices in Westminster calling on them to "close this down" before any more damage is done, then Mr Bourne can continue to put off any talk of an urgent group meeting before Christmas. He can listen to political speeches on his iPod over Christmas, hone his Welsh and think about how to win as many seats as possible if there's a General Election around the corner.

Last night . You won't be surprised to know that it's been leaked, nor will you be surprised to know that he is unhappy that "many members were asking William for a meeting before Christmas but that this is being refused".

He's referring, of course, to Chief Whip William Graham.

His Email tells the leader that "I believe it imperative to assess the damage created by the allowances story since Friday, and I would suggest as follows:

1. We need to examine how we can tighten up our own procedures as a group to show that we are serious about spending public money properly. Regardless of Sir Roger's review perhaps we can take a lead;

2. The group needs to look at and understand how the Leader's allowance and what it is supposed to cover;

3. The strategy for reclaiming the position as a party which has challenged Labour's waste.

This last item is critical and requires some thought".

It appears from the Email too, incidentally, that Jonathan Morgan had not talked to Nick Bourne over the weekend, despite the leader's claim to have talked to every member of his group.

But Nick Bourne has made his position entirely clear now. He's going nowhere and intends to lead the party into the 2011 elections. He knows he can't go on forever but now is not the time to go. He's happy to talk through the expenses issue with the group in the New Year but has no plans to "do a Mike German" as some insist he must now do. In other words he's not planning to give an assurance that he'll be off with plaudits and pats on the back for all he has done for the party - perhaps after the European elections.

Quite right too says Clwyd West's Darren Millar AM. He's "agnostic" about the need for a group meeting but is anything but about the outcome. That, he says, "has to be clear backing for Nick". He's like to see Nick carrying on in the job for some time yet and has absolutely no plans to form an alliance with Jonathan Morgan, an alliance that puts him in the deputy's position.

No deal then by the sounds of it.

Which means those "who are prepared to be bold" must work out a cunning plan if they're to oust Mr Bourne and get the "dynamic way forward" they're seeking.

As they've put it themselves, they must put up or shut up.

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