Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael has made a lovely little video to promote this year’s Autumn Conference. We’re returning to Glasgow. I will not mention the delicious irony that Alistair is actually sitting in Party HQ in Edinburgh. After all, it’s not as if there’s any rivalry between the two cities, or anything.
I’ll also not mention the taxi driver who told me, without any rancour, that he couldn’t wait for the Liberal Democrats to be wiped out.
Seriously, though, Glasgow is brilliant both as a place and a Conference venue and it’s well worth coming. There are likely to be some good scraps over the finer points of the manifesto, the chance to meet the presidential candidates and, of course, the glittering LDV Awards. Crucially, training ahead of the election will be on offer so if you’re on a campaign team, are the legal agent or are standing yourself, you can’t miss them.
Enjoy the video!
If that hasn’t persuaded you to register, which you can do here, try reading the piece on Glasgow I wrote for Ad Lib last year or any of my guides to Conference which contain more suggestions of places to eat and drink.
Oh, and the best tip I could give you? Go outside and walk between the Conference hall, exhibition and hotel. It’s quicker and so much easier than the labyrinthine corridors which all look the same.
Conference is a much-needed shot in the arm for the Liberal Democrat activist. It’s just great to all be together. What you get out of the five days sustains you when you get home.
I’m sure that any regular conference attendees will have lots of reasons to add in as to why Conference is wonderful. Please put them in the comments below.
The photo above is of Glasgow’s “Squinty bridge” by Lib Dem Voice photo editor, Paul Walter. You can see other photos which Paul took of bonny Glasgow during last year’s conference here.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
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10 Comments
Will anybody be leading a real ale pub crawl?
“It’s well worth coming. There are likely to be some good scraps over the finer points of the manifesto, the chance to meet the presidential candidates and, of course, the glittering LDV Awards.”
Move along, nothing to see here. Crisis, what crisis?
A comments thread wouldn’t be the same without your relentless positivity, David.
Thanks for not deleting the abridged version Caron.
Caron I am delighted you heard what we have been hearing for ages from many people who feel we have betrayed them.
Is it too much to hope that you might break with the out of touch Westminster party and join us ” rebels”.
So, our pre-election conference could be in a foreign country?
Max Wilkinson raises an excellent question.
The CAMRA exhibition stand last year had an execellent guide to ale pubs that enables anyone to do so.
@Martin Land
No, even the most optimistic timetable doesn’t expect actual separation until 2016. But the conference could end up happening in a constituent country that will be negotiating its exit from union with much of the rest of the country.
In any case, Conference really ought to address this issue. In the event of a no vote, it will fall to us to put forward the reform and restructuring that the UK needs if it is going to continue in the longer term. Make no mistake, this referendum serves notice on the union, whichever way it ends up going in September.
Thank you Gareth and Matt. I’ll head for the CAMRA stand.