Luton Liberal Democrats held our Annual General Meeting last night. One result of which is that for the first time in what must be over ten years I am not a member of my local party executive.

The formal business of the meeting was followed by a discussion of the coalition government and our prospects for the local elections next year. I was struck by the amount of consensus amongst our members. With the exception of a small minority, we remain in favour of the Liberal Democrat participation in the coalition. Members seemed comfortable with the need for compromise and there was an acceptance that we would not get everything that we wanted. There was though some unhappiness with how some decisions are being made, concern that a distinctive Liberal Democrat position on issues was not being put across, and a fear that our identity was being compromised.

However, the committment to continue campaigning and to fight the local elections hard from all present was heartening.