Category Archives: Conference

Anything relating to the spring or autumn conferences

Register for conference – deadline approaching

By The Voice | Mon 13th December 2010 - 10:39 am

Just a quick note to remind party members intending to come to Lib Dem conferences in 2011 that the first deadline is fast approaching.

The cheapest registration is early joint registration for both conferences.

The deadline for getting the lowest possible price is 5.30pm on 16th December, so not much time remaining.

You can register for conference here.

Could YOU be a Conference steward?

By Mike Ross | Thu 9th December 2010 - 2:17 pm

Conference is one of the highlights of the year for many Lib Dems, providing an opportunity to gather with fellow members, debate policy, attend training and of course network at the bar!

Have you ever considered, though, volunteering to help with making sure Conference all goes to plan? There is a small, but dedicated, team of Conference stewards, without whom Conference could not operate. They are always looking for new members, and this is an appeal to …

5 Comments

What was different about the Liverpool conference?

By The Voice | Sun 17th October 2010 - 11:58 am

This video, filmed at the Lib Dem 2010 Autumn conference in Liverpool, contains interviews with Chris Huhne and Vince Cable about how conference is different now the party is in government, plus interviews with members, a look at why organisations hold fringe events and a tour around the exhibition area with interviews with one internal and one external organisation about why they have a stand in the exhibition area. Presented by Greg Stone and Jonathan Wallace.

You can view the video here.

Were the Lib Dems the conference media winners?

By Iain Roberts | Wed 6th October 2010 - 1:44 pm

When it comes to party conferences, all parties complain that the media get it wrong.

If you’re in the Green Party, UKIP, Plaid, the SNP or another smaller party you’ll be frustrated about the way the national media ignore you. All those great policies and speeches to the party faithful, but you end up with a small paragraph in the Times. If you’re lucky.

The Lib Dems were finding out this year what it’s like not to be ignored. Tabloid hacks arriving for the first time from the Sun , Express, Mirror and Mail may have been as bemused by the disappointing …

Also posted in Op-eds | 7 Comments

Opinion: my Guardian drugs surprise

By Ewan Hoyle | Tue 5th October 2010 - 1:28 pm

Cannabis stance is wrong, says Lib Dem drug campaigner

This was the surprising headline that greeted me on the guardian website just a few short hours after I’d made my maiden speech to conference.

I wasn’t planning to give a speech from the conference floor when I arrived in Liverpool. Having seen the latest motion I had drafted on drugs policy again be rejected by the Federal Conference Committee, I was instead concentrating on encouraging as many people as possible (without being too pushy) to attend the fringe event “It’s Time We Talked About Drug Policy” at which I was …

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged drugs | 10 Comments

Opinion: Why the Diversity Motion caused a stir at Conference

By Ramis Cizer | Thu 30th September 2010 - 12:23 pm

I not a massive fan of the term “Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME)” and in an ideal political world it probably wouldn’t exist. But we don’t live in an ideal world and the term is required to designate certain segments of population in order to address inequalities – an uncontroversial statement in my opinion – so why does it cause such heated discussion? Too complex to answer here so I will leave it to someone else but I have some ideas on why the Diversity Motion caused a stir at the Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference.

Liberalism to me is a …

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged candidate selection rules, diversity and equalities | 6 Comments

Blog of the Year Awards: The movie

By Helen Duffett | Mon 27th September 2010 - 12:08 pm

The BOTYs were quite simply the glitteringest event of the whole Liberal Democrat conference last week, and Lib Dem councillor and blogger Jonathan Wallace was there to film them.

If you look carefully, you might just spot the tail feathers of the last flamingo, as it was startled away by popping flashbulbs. Alas, the heat of said flashbulbs also melted the ice sculptures before Jonathan could film those too, but the video’s well worth watching for the great speeches from winners and presenters alike:

Also posted in Best of the blogs | Tagged andrew hickey, blog of the year awards, charlotte gore, helen duffett, iain roberts, Jo Swinson, jonathan wallace, Mark Pack, millennium elephant, nick barlow, nick thornsby, richard flowers, sara bedford, stephen tall, sue garden and will howells | 1 Comment

Lessons for future campaigning from the 2010 election

By Mark Pack | Sun 26th September 2010 - 5:25 pm

The Wednesday lunchtime at Liverpool conference saw myself chairing the last of The Voice’s fringe meetings, this one looking at lessons from the 2010 general election.

Our guest speakers were Hilary Stephenson (Director of Campaigns), Duncan Hames (newly elected as MP for Chippenham) and Paul Holmes (former MP for Chesterfield).

Thanks to Alex for sorting out the recording and podcasting wizardry.

Also posted in Podcasts | Tagged duncan hames, hilary stephenson and paul holmes | 6 Comments

Conference: the full-time score

By Mark Pack | Sun 26th September 2010 - 9:20 am

Having blogged ten questions for Liberal Democrat conference, along with a conference half-time update, how do things look now the dust has settled from Liverpool for those ten points?

Party strategy

Love your coalition partner all the time in public: that was the clear line taken by Nick Clegg, reinforced by other senior party figures and not challenged directly in any high profile way during conference (save for one question during the Nick Clegg Q&A). And yet… whether or not the party should let its strong debates with the Conservatives within the coalition show a little more in public was …

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged andrew sparrow, av referendum, Danny Alexander, jennie rigg, nick clegg, stuart bonar, susan kramer, tim farron and trident | 9 Comments

LDVideo conference edition (4): Paddy, Shirley, Trident and Stride

By Stephen Tall | Sat 25th September 2010 - 8:35 pm

Anyone starting to get conference withdrawal symptoms? For those of you who were there, here’s a few videos from the Lib Dem conference in Liverpool to help you catch up with what you missed by, erm, being there. And for those of you who weren’t there and saw it all on telly anyway… well, here’s another chance to enjoy some of the highlights.

(Please note, as most of these are BBC videos it’s not possible to link to them: they will therefore only be visible to readers viewing Lib Dem Voice directly through your web browser.)

Paddy Ashdown interviewed by Andrew Rawnsley

(Also available on the Guardian website here.)

LibDem anger over ‘Cold War’ Trident

Also posted in YouTube | Leave a comment

Lib Dem Coalition IRL

By Kelly-Marie Blundell | Sat 25th September 2010 - 2:16 pm

Since the election it has seemed to me that the Liberal Democrats have been somewhat flagging. The exhaustion of the general election and Clegg Mania, the immediate return of Labour Squeeze in mainstream media and the relentless coalition debate have collectively reduced the Lib Dem enthusiasts.

However, there is nothing like a good Conference to cheer us all up.

This was the first conference I attended alone, but with much awaited enthusiasm due to growing Twitter feeds and Facebook friends.

The conference alone is a daunting and tremendous undertaking to the uninitiated. You are catapulted into fleeting and incredibly intimate friendships with people you may never contact again. Collecting business cards, advising, persuading, debating and challenging on every level.

Flipping from policy motion to speech, from fringe to training, it is a whirlwind of faces you may or may not recognise from those squares of modernity who tweet or chat or debate with alarming ease.

3 Comments

LDVideo conference edition (3): Hughes, Huhne, Alexander and Browne

By Stephen Tall | Sat 25th September 2010 - 12:45 pm

(Please note, as these are BBC videos it’s not possible to link to them: they will therefore only be visible to readers viewing Lib Dem Voice directly through your web browser.)

Is Simon Hughes on the political left or right?

Chris Huhne’s ‘green deal to offset budget cuts’

Also posted in YouTube | Tagged chris huhne, Danny Alexander, jeremy browne and simon hughes | Leave a comment

Opinion: I always love Conference

By Olly Grender | Fri 24th September 2010 - 8:55 pm

I always love conference, in fact I love all three Party conferences. Because inspite of the fact that I am most comfortable with my LibDem tribe I am on the whole comfortable with people with a genuine interest in politics. Let’s face it all of us are such a small proportion of the population.

As I walked through Liverpool in the evening I strongly suspect that those girls dressed up to the nines, well kind of in nothing actually, had no idea they were hosting a party of Government in their hometown.

That is what is so great about conference, …

Tagged david rendel, guest editor, jonny oates, linda jack and olly grender | 1 Comment

So how was it for you……..the highlights and lowlights?

By Linda Jack | Fri 24th September 2010 - 8:00 pm

As I mentioned earlier, conference is always a mixture of emotions, but none more so than this year. I thought it would be fun if we could do a meme in the comments thread and answer the following questions:

The funniest moment

The saddest moment

The most embarrassing moment (OK, so I know its only me has them!)

The most challenging moment

The moment I will remember most

And please feel free to add to the list.

My answers? You’ll have to wait until the end of the day for those!

And to start with I’m tagging Helen Duffett 🙂

Also posted in LDV meme | Tagged guest editor, helen duffett and linda jack | 9 Comments

Opinion: Looking through the tea leaves of Liverpool

By Mark Littlewood | Fri 24th September 2010 - 4:50 pm

What a strange few months it’s been for the Liberal Democrats. In Bournemouth a year ago, few LibDems would have truly believed that this was to be their last annual conference in opposition.

My sense of the mood in Liverpool this year was that it matched the political and economic times we live in. Serious, but somewhat apprehensive. There seemed a lot of quiet satisfaction – although never smugness – that there were Liberal Democrats in government, but a nervousness about what the “end game” might be.

A few things truly surprised me. Support for the principle of entering Coalition with the Conservatives was close to unanimous. A straw poll at the IEA’s fringe meeting showed about 95% felt that Nick Clegg had made the right decision in those tense few days after the General Election. The national media were, of course, on the look out for any sign of coalition-fatigue, but seemed initially disappointed – and then rather impressed – about the absence of much strategic dissent.

But looking through the tea leaves of Liverpool, there are some longer term issues which the party will have to address.

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged coalition, free schools, guest editor, linda jack, nick clegg and vince cable | 10 Comments

Opinion: The last chance saloon on diversity?

By Meral Ece | Fri 24th September 2010 - 3:24 pm

I went to conference expecting something entirely different, perhaps influenced by the daily articles and news reports, that this conference was going to be like no other. That there was much unrest, and even anger amongst the Party’s ranks. Instead I found myself amongst many Lib Dem party members and friends who were upbeat and positive.

I didn’t speak to anyone – nor as far as I can gather did the media – who was vehemently opposed to the Coalition Government. Yes, this conference was like no other. It was the largest conference we’ve ever had, and our Leader is …

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged diversity, emld, equalities, guest editor, linda jack, lynne featherstone, nick clegg, operation black vote, simon hughes, simon woolley and vince cable | 21 Comments

Making LGBT History – An Interview with Adrian Trett

By Linda Jack | Fri 24th September 2010 - 1:38 pm

Adrian Trett is Chair of DELGA, the person responsible for the Equal Marriage motion and someone I am proud to call a dear friend. Following the success of the motion I interviewed Adrian about his feelings about conference in general and the motion in particular

Q: What was your overall impression of conference?

A: I was really pleased, I thought it was exhilarating, everyone was so enthusiastic. On the way to conference I thought there may be arguments, but I found it to be a pleasing atmosphere and was thrilled to be there.

Q: How did you feel when you left?

A: I left …

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged delga, gay marriage, guest editor and linda jack | 4 Comments

Opinion: Nobody ever said government was easy

By John Howson | Fri 24th September 2010 - 11:59 am

I attended my first Liberal Party Conference at Blackpool in 1968, in the days when our MPs could all fit in a taxi, rather than needing a rather large bus. Work in education prevented me attending regularly again until 1998, but I have been at every autumn conference since.

For those with long memories, 1998 was the year of the community school motion when, despite an impassioned speech by Phil Willis, the leadership lost the day, just as they did with amendment 2 on Monday: more about that later.

When I arrived in Liverpool on Friday afternoon, I detected a palpable …

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged guest editor and linda jack | 5 Comments

Opinion: Subtly different

By Paul Reynolds | Fri 24th September 2010 - 10:54 am

The Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference this year was subtly different from all others I have attended.

Being part of the Coalition of course meant a larger UK and international press contingent, and a greater diplomatic representation from around the globe. Lib Dem ministers talked of the problems of persuading their Conservative colleagues of the benefits of key Lib Dem policies and approaches, as well as the more general problems of working with the slippery inflexibilities of government administration.

However by far the more significant difference was for me something unseen, almost unconscious. It affected every conversation, every fringe meeting, and …

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged guest editor and linda jack | Leave a comment

LDVideo conference edition (1): Nick Clegg special

By Stephen Tall | Thu 23rd September 2010 - 8:45 pm

(Please note, as these are BBC videos it’s not possible to link to them: they will therefore only be visible to readers viewing Lib Dem Voice directly through your web browser.)

Nick Clegg addresses UN on poverty: here’s why Nick left the party conference early

Nick Clegg defends Lib Dem coalition decision:

Also posted in YouTube | Tagged nick clegg | Leave a comment

Lib Dem conference 2010: open thread #ldconf

By Stephen Tall | Wed 22nd September 2010 - 7:30 pm

The thousands of Lib Dem members who made it to Liverpool this week for the party conference will be arriving home now, probably tired, in need of a healthy square meal, and perhaps a tad hungover. Here’s your opportunity to tell Voice readers what you made of it all: the highlights (and any lowpoints), the surprises (and disappointments)… in fact, anything you like.

The Guardian’s Andrew Sparrow, who’s been live-blogging the conference all week, has set out his ’10 things I’ve learned from the Lib Dem conference’ here (you’ll need to scroll a bit down the page). They’re well worth …

Tagged #ldconf and andrew sparrow | 15 Comments

PODCAST: Cabinet Minister Q&A

By Alex Foster | Wed 22nd September 2010 - 5:14 pm

Our final podcast from the conference floor was the penultimate session, a Q&A with cabinet ministers Danny Alexander, Chris Huhne, Michael Moore and Vince Cable.

The last session at Lib Dem conference is usually reserved for the Leader’s Speech – but that was not possible this time as Nick Clegg had to fly out to the UN.

It’s quite a shock for Liberal Democrats to get to quizz cabinet ministers, but it’s something they took in their stride with relative ease. This was taped from the reserved press section – and it’s interesting that over a dozen journalists had stayed till this …

Also posted in Podcasts | Tagged chris huhne, Danny Alexander, lorely burt, Michael Moore and vince cable | Leave a comment

Opinion: Do the media now ‘get’ Liberal Democrat conference?

By Tom Paul | Wed 22nd September 2010 - 4:31 pm

Recent years have seen a consistent stream of conference reports on ‘splits’ within the party. With Coalition, and more interest in the party than ever before, has the media finally learned how to read our public disagreements? Do the media now ‘get’ conference?

Whilst Labour and Tory conferences are stage-managed affairs, with policy arguments taking place behind closed doors, the liberal approach is to discuss and debate in the open. The way Liberal Democrats make policy – and the power we members have to shape our movement – is reflective our commitment both to transparency and to democracy.

But public debates …

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged media | 12 Comments

Lib Dems pass motions on Trident and diversity

By The Voice | Wed 22nd September 2010 - 3:27 pm

News of two motions passed by Lib Dem conference today…

Diversity: Hughes to propose “radical changes” to promote candidate diversity

Simon Hughes, the party’s deputy leader, commented:

“I am glad that Conference agreed today that there will be a full set of proposals for candidate diversity and that we will have the chance to take decisions to change the face and mix of the Liberal Democrats.

“I will be presenting a paper to the Party’s Federal Executive next month which will propose radical changes in the way we select our candidates.

“This proposal will include the aim that half our candidates will be women …

Tagged diversity, equalities, nick harvey, simon hughes and trident | 4 Comments

What did you make of Vince Cable’s speech?

By Stephen Tall | Wed 22nd September 2010 - 2:30 pm

It was the speech which revived the Lib Dem conference, oddly listless after Nick Clegg’s speech on Monday: Vince Cable’s rallying final day speech gave members and activists a real lift, and provided plenty of red meat for the media to chew on. Here’s my first impression…

Perhaps what was most impressive about Vince’s conference speech was how unchanged it was from his usual fare: uncompromising, wise-cracking, punchy, intelligent.

The right-wing media has focused on Vince’s attacks on capitalism, with the Daily Mail in typically shrill mood, and ConservativeHome giving it the silly billing of ‘Red Vince Day’.

That’s the thing about some right-wingers: too often they are unable to see past their own dogma which assumes Big Business must always be right. It’s the same blind spot left-wingers have about the unions.

Liberals — and I’m not using that as a party label because it also encompasses Adam Smith — understand that unfettered capitalism is not the same thing as the free market, and capitalism does not automatically promote market competition. That is why liberals, and Liberal Democrats, believe in a regulated free market, to curb the excesses of capitalism and to promote the interests of healthy market competition from which individuals and society can benefit.

Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged adam smith, featured, nick clegg, simon hoggart, tom clarke and vince cable | 68 Comments

Vince Cable speech to conference

By The Voice | Wed 22nd September 2010 - 12:28 pm

Speaking at the Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference today, Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, Vince Cable said:

I have come to account to you, Conference, for the work I have been carrying out in the Coalition Government.

I have managed to infuriate the bank bosses; acquire a fatwa from the revolutionary guards of the trades union movement; frighten the Daily Telegraph with a progressive graduate payment; and upset very rich people who are trying to dodge British taxes. I must be doing something right.

But I am told that I look miserable. I’m sorry, conference, this is my happy face. ‘Aren’t you having fun?’ …

Tagged business, capitalism, royal mail and vince cable | 3 Comments

Lynne Featherstone’s speech to conference

By Lynne Featherstone | Wed 22nd September 2010 - 11:56 am

Liberal Democrats.

I look around and I see the faces of so many friends, colleagues, Cabinet Members. Yes – I did just say that – Liberal Democrat members of the Cabinet.

Now conference, I was pretty clear at the time as to just what I thought of having an all male all pale team sent to negotiate on our behalves in May. Often for some of us women we get frustrated when we see mediocrity promoted above us.

But in this case, they weren’t mediocre – our negotiating team did one hell of a job and I thank them all …

Tagged animal farm, diversity, equalities, gay, miriam gonzalez durantez and Violet Bonham Carter | 4 Comments

PODCAST: Equal marriage debate

By Alex Foster | Wed 22nd September 2010 - 10:24 am

After a brief hiatus during which our podcast host migrated us to an account we hadn’t asked for during our busiest week, we can now bring you, in full, the debate on LGBT marriage from Tuesday’s conference floor.

This debate may not necessarily be of interest to the wider public, but certainly anyone who loves Lib Dem conference will recognise many of the aspects of the debate.

Highlights for me include Dr Evan Harris’s explanation, in the opening minutes of the debate of his stint as the only openly gay Lib Dem MP despite not actually being gay; the Voice’s own Sara …

Also posted in Podcasts | Tagged evan harris, gay marriage, LGBT rights, podcast and sara bedford | 1 Comment

Help spread the word about our lunchtime fringe

By Alex Foster | Wed 22nd September 2010 - 8:19 am

LibDemVoice are hosting four events at conference – fuller details are available here.

Our final event falls this lunchtime as Mark Pack takes the chair to explore the party’s general election campaign. With Hilary Stephenson, Duncan Hames MP and Paul Holmes.

If you’d like to come along, why not click here to let your twitter friends know.

Also posted in Events | Leave a comment

A good analysis of conference so far…

By Mark Pack | Tue 21st September 2010 - 11:39 pm

… is to be found over on Left Foot Forward: Party democracy alive and kicking at Lib Dem conference. I don’t agree with all of it – such as the use of “indefensible” 🙂 – but it’s a good post that shows an understanding of how parties work and makes good use of details of what has happened at conference.

Tagged left foot forward | 2 Comments

Op-eds

Pensions and social care: Ed Davey must offer more than reassurance (Maria Linforth-Hall)
What is happening with the Inclusion and Faith Review? (Simon McGrath)
We need a healthy and free leadership debate (Rosemary Runswick)
Mathew on Monday: Davey has been given a second chance. Now he must show us what his leadership is for (Mathew Hulbert)
The decapitation strategy (Michael Taylor)

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Vince Cable writes: Drill, baby, drill…or not

Lib Dems must do better on Burnham

Britain should be proud, but never afraid of the stranger

Lib Dem Women: Amplifying women’s voices at Conference

Category Archives: Conference

Register for conference – deadline approaching

Could YOU be a Conference steward?

What was different about the Liverpool conference?

Were the Lib Dems the conference media winners?

Opinion: my Guardian drugs surprise

Opinion: Why the Diversity Motion caused a stir at Conference

Blog of the Year Awards: The movie

Lessons for future campaigning from the 2010 election

Conference: the full-time score

Party strategy

LDVideo conference edition (4): Paddy, Shirley, Trident and Stride

Lib Dem Coalition IRL

LDVideo conference edition (3): Hughes, Huhne, Alexander and Browne

Opinion: I always love Conference

So how was it for you……..the highlights and lowlights?

Opinion: Looking through the tea leaves of Liverpool

Opinion: The last chance saloon on diversity?

Making LGBT History – An Interview with Adrian Trett

Opinion: Nobody ever said government was easy

Opinion: Subtly different

LDVideo conference edition (1): Nick Clegg special

Lib Dem conference 2010: open thread #ldconf

PODCAST: Cabinet Minister Q&A

Opinion: Do the media now ‘get’ Liberal Democrat conference?

Lib Dems pass motions on Trident and diversity

Diversity: Hughes to propose “radical changes” to promote candidate diversity

What did you make of Vince Cable’s speech?

Vince Cable speech to conference

Lynne Featherstone’s speech to conference

PODCAST: Equal marriage debate

Help spread the word about our lunchtime fringe

A good analysis of conference so far…

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Vince Cable writes: Drill, baby, drill…or not

Lib Dems must do better on Burnham

Britain should be proud, but never afraid of the stranger

Lib Dem Women: Amplifying women’s voices at Conference

Category Archives: Conference

Party strategy

Diversity: Hughes to propose “radical changes” to promote candidate diversity

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