The Federal Conference Comittee took Simon Hughes off the agenda at the spring conference earlier this year, so this was our first chance to hear from the President following the leadership election.
Hughes gave a personal, and verging on the emotional, account of what was, by all accounts, a pretty torrid time. He congratulated and supported both Ming and Chris, and thanked those in the hall who had supported him.
His core message was that the party should be “ambitious for Liberalism”. In a typically charismatic speech, he disappeared off the stage at one time to bear-hug the former Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Jim Wallace MSP.
Sadly, he was talking to a hall that was just over half full, and only half of those gave him a standing ovation – in stark contrast to the reception Nick Clegg received on Monday.
He did say that he hadn’t yet finished everything he had set out to do as President. If, in two years time, he delivers on his promises – in particular his key promise of increasing the membership- he should find himself facing a much fuller hall. And it’s imperative he does – for the Party’s sake, more than his own.
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Simon did get quite a long slot on the Sunday morning at Spring Conference though.
You guys made a real mistake not electing him leader…he would have made a far better car taker leader than Ming.
Leon, why even the Liberals would want to elect a ” car taker” for a leader is beyond me. Mr Hughes adeptness of disabusing people of their motor vehicles is surely neither here nor there in the cut and thrust of contemporary politics. I’d personally like to see the return of a trained ventriloquist to the leadership of a mainstream party. Jeremy Thorpe was the last who was able to throw his voice succesfully.