I’m usually in the pub during the rally and catch up on You Tube later. Tonight I listened to Al Pinkerton open the event while I was chopping coriander stalks to go in a chlli. So far, after Al, we’ve had Max Wilkinson’s shocking admission that he doesn’t like Abba, Pippa Heylings describing some doorstep encounters and  Josh Babarinde describing the experience of having his mother and Ed Davey critique his bungee jump and Sarah Olney talking about her terror on that rollercoaster.

I am missing Conference terribly. The livestream is fine, but it’s nothing compared to being in the auditorium and getting a hug from an old friend who comes to sit next to you.

I’ve got wise to the fact that you need to be very quick with the online vote, having mucked up 3 early on by being too slow.

I had a tear in my eye when Alison Bennett, our MP for Mid Sussex, open Conference, talking about the 5  Lib Dem MPs we now have in Sussex.

Mark Pack’s opening remarks highlighted our local and national election success. We really shouldn’t forget that we came second in May’s Council elections as well. He also highlighted the contribution to the party  of our party organisations and mentioned Lib Dem Women, LGBT+ Lib Dems and ALDC in particular.

The debate on changing the reference back procedure went the establishment’s way very easily – even though I did manage to cast my vote against having listened to Gareth Epps. I told him later that his speech might have been too grown up and thoughtful for that time in the morning.

There was a request to suspend standing orders to get something else onto the agenda but this time it actually came from the Federal Conference Committee. I think that the speech of Magen Inon, an Israeli educator whose parents were murdered in the terrorist attacks last 7 October, will be incredibly moving. Magen lives in the UK and is an advocate for peace. This addition to the agenda was made without controversy and he’ll be speaking at 4:30 pm tomorrow.

The Young Liberals proposed their motion on liberalising the Sunday Trading laws. I am still shocked when I go to England that the shops are open for so little time. Rebecca Jones spoke brilliantly about how she needed to work on Sundays when she was a student and opening up the shops would create more jobs. Helen Tamblyn addreessed concerns expressed by Lizzie Jewkes about workers’ rights by saying that driving people to online retail sites where workers’ rights were not the best was not a good option for independent shops. There was a counted vote on an amendment from ALDC which gave more discretion to local councils about whether to liberalise opening hours. It fell in the end.

Lib Dem Women had put forward a motion on tackling inequality in pregnancy and neonatal care. Some of the stories of maternal and pregnancy loss were shocking,  and the higher rates among black and Asian communities shameful.  Laura Gordon told a terrible story about the death of a young refugee who didn’t get the care she needed and died. Maybe if she had had an interpreter, her life might have been saved. There’s no sign of Labour improving things because of the lack of money. As Tam Langley said “We have to invest in babies who can’t wait for the economy to recover.”

Other highlights include Wendy Chamberlain teasing Ming Campbell and Willie Rennie, saying she was the best performing Lib Dem in North East Fife.

Dave McCobb, our Director of Campaigns, telling us the secrets of our success and showing a never before seen video of the moment in HQ when the exit poll came out. Spoilers, people were a bit happy.

Vince Cable speaking on the motion to allow young people freedom of movement around Europe – assuring us he wasn’t asking for himself. It was so so good to see him.

The number 72  featuring heavily on the main hall backdrop.

It’s been a busy, productive and positive first day. Now, the disco…

Have a lovely evening whether, like me, you are watching Strictly with wine, or strutting your stuff in the Grand.

You can catch up on all the day’s main hall events here.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings