Archive for Conference
Lib Dem conference agenda: mansion tax, relations with other parties, Europe and more
The Liberal Democrat Spring 2012 conference agenda has been published. I’ll do a fuller analysis later, especially as there are quite a few eye-catching items – backing the 50p rate tax, introducing a mansion tax, setting out the party’s line on Europe – and dropping two out of the three locks from the triple lock. [...]
My letter in today’s Guardian: Liberal Democrat conference
I do wonder how much attention Martin Kettle paid to the Liberal Democrat conference this year before concluding that policy debate at it was a thing of the past and that factions have gone quiet on the fringe (Guardian, 7 October). The former claim he basis on one vote that he disagrees with – and skips past [...]
Someone likes Liberal Democrat conference…
Over on Dale & Co Gareth Knight writes: Any Conservative, including Iain Dale who attends the Liberal Democrat conference, remarks how impressed they are with the mere fact the conference is where party members openly and robustly confer on policy. The exhibition stands at the Liberal Democrat conference include dozens of party groups as well [...]
Community Politics: my speech at Lib Dem conference
There has been for quite a few years a big gap between talk of Community Politics in the Liberal Democrats when it comes to booklets or conference debates and the actual operation of the party and its members. That was the theme of my speech at the Community Politics debate at party conference, where I [...]
If Nick Clegg were an animal…
Chairing the two Liberal Democrat Voice fringe meetings at Lib Dem conference, I threw in a fun final question at both: “If Nick Clegg were an animal, what sort of animal would he be…?” The answers were: Chris Bowers (Nick Clegg’s biographer): a rhino David Hall Matthews (Social Liberal Forum): a panther Matt Chorley (The [...]
A messaging mess: what Liberal Democrats are achieving in government
As I wrote in the immediate aftermath of Nick Clegg’s conference speech, the party was much better at saying what it was not and what it was against – not the Conservatives, not unhappy, against tax cheats, against overpaid under-performing company directors and so on – than what it was for. In theory the answer [...]
The most striking statistic from Liberal Democrat conference
Steve Webb, speaking to Lib Dem conference:
I found out that I was, indeed, the 11th different pensions minister in the last 14 years.
Nick Clegg takes on the establishment
When the introduction to a politician’s speech starts with a black and white photo of them looking serious, you know there’s a sombre message coming. So it was with Nick Clegg’s speech ending the Liberal Democrat autumn conference, as he talked of the state of the UK and world economies, about how the party was [...]
Liberal Democrats Conference round-up and preview: Tuesday/Wednesday
What happened on Tuesday in Birmingham at Liberal Democrat conference and what to watch out for today, Wednesday:
(To find out more about any of the motions I mention, or indeed the others I’ve not highlighted, see the full agenda for the Liberal...
