Conference in a nutshell
OK, so now the fog has cleared a little how was Harrogate for me? Here we go with a few highlights and observations:
Pleased to get a lot of good ‘geek-work’ done on the train on the way up and enjoyed the wide-ranging philosophical discussions I had on the train on the way back.
Delighted with the launch of the Home Office Watch website, which I have had some techy involvement with, at the rally on Friday evening (although I wasn’t actually there, having been lured into the bar by a Richmond councillor).
Felt somewhat guilty for having inadvertently crashed a groups dinner later on Friday night, but was rather pleased as a result to listen to an intensely fascinating discussion on international issues between people who knew what they were talking about.
Listening to the brilliant speech by Tessa Munt, PPC for Wells, in the trident debate. She had the intimidating task of being the speaker following Ming after his intervention, and had to put the opposing case. She handled the situation extremely well and made one of the best speeches of the weekend.
While the motion on Kashmir that had been submitted failed to get to the top of the emergency ballot and so wasn’t on the agenda, Sal Brinton, PPC for Watford, through questions secured a commitment from our Lib Dem MEP’s that they would continue with the right approach they have taken to this issue and condemned the Labour party’s attempt to make political capital out of the recent Nicholson report.
The launch of “Power Actually” a book by David Boyle looking at “liberal democrat localism in action” which has a whole chapter based around the innovative work Luton Lib Dems are doing in education.
Having a starter of black pudding in pastry parcels at a very pleasant dinner with friends on Saturday night – very Harrogate I thought!
Getting called to speak in the regeneration debate on Sunday morning – been a while since I’ve spoken from the conference platform.
And finally, like almost everyone else, totally missing the significance of the ‘5 tests’ remark in the leaders speech.
This content was originally posted on my old Process Guy blog.