Once again, Lib Dem Voice have a varied and exciting programme at the Lib Dem federal conference planned for Liverpool next month.
Some of our events are still taking form; others are now so well established they are almost traditional.
And don’t worry if you are unable to join us in person at conference – we will be making recordings of the events and making them available right here on the blog, so that you can get the conference feel coming in your ears wherever you are in the nation.
For your delight and delectation, here are some details.
Blog of the Year Awards
Join LDV and online friends for a walk down the yellow carpet to award the 2010 BOTYs. For more information see this post right here.
Saturday, 18th September 2010
22.00 – 00.00
Hilton, Grace Suite 1
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LibDemVoice.org Fringe: Fairer? For Whom?
Former Lib Dem MPs Dr Evan Harris and Susan Kramer join Left Foot Forward’s editor, Will Straw, to discuss what Coalition means for the party’s fairness agenda. Chaired by Lib Dem Voice co-editor, Stephen Tall.
Sunday, 19th September 2010
13.00 – 14.00
ACC Liverpool, Hall 1B
As this event is in the Secure Zone, you will need a conference photo-pass to attend.
Liberal Drinks / Tweetup
A friendly chat and a drink during Conference season but outside of the conference secure zone, so all welcome.
We’ve had Liberal Drinks at Lib Dem Conference before, but this is the first time we’ve branded it a “tweetup”
Tuesday 21st September
7.30pm – 10.30pm
Baltic Fleet, 33 Wapping, Liverpool, L1 8DQ
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Lessons for future campaigning from the 2010 election
Mark Pack takes the chair to explore the party’s general election campaign. With Hilary Stephenson, Duncan Hames MP and Paul Holmes.
Wednesday, 22nd September 2010
13.00 – 14.00
Jurys Inn, Suite 9
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6 Comments
Conference this year will of necessity be different this year
Delegates will have to respect the fact that we are now part of government
That should not – and I am sure will not – take any edge away from robust debates on policy matters
The challenge comes when we hold our colleagues in government to account.
Of necessity we have had to compromise on some of our cherished policies – and our colleagues in government naturally have to adhere to the rules of collective responsibility
But that should not be read as any of them being too ready to ditch Lib Dem philosophies and policies for the trappings of office.
We know that the media egged on by our opponents will be looking for any oppourtunity to suggest that the grass roots are at odds with the leadership.
I think in the circumstances our role is to continue to argue for those things that matter to Liberal Democrats and to at the same time send a strong message to our colleagues in government that there is a fine line between doing right by the coalition government and at the doing right by the Party.
But we must remember – we are all on the same side
This is “our coalition government”
Nothing we do at conference should give the impression that the Party Faithful want anything other than what Nick Clegg and his Lib Dem cabinet colleagues want – To Make this coalition Government deliver as much of the Liberal Democrats policies as possible
“Nothing we do at conference should give the impression that the Party Faithful want anything other than what Nick Clegg and his Lib Dem cabinet colleagues want”
So we’re the party of free-thinkers who refuse to be a bunch of stage-managed cheerleaders, is that right?
David, I think there is a line to be drawn between being honest about how we feel, and putting the boot into the party and Nick unnecessarily.
I think what Rabi Martins was trying to say is that we need to be aware that there’s a hostile media focussing on our conference, who will be looking for vocal dissent, the more extreme the better. You only have to look at the hacks sniffing around the special conference in Birmingham, looking for disgruntled party members to run as headline news, rather than those of us informing them that the mood inside the hall (as demonstrated by the vote) was one of cautious optimism.
It behoves any party member who still supports the party even if they don’t entirely agree with its current course of action (such as myself) to bear this in mind when talking to the media. Anything that can be taken out of context and spun into the media narrative of “Lib Dems in breakdown” or “Schism between Orange Bookers and Social Democrats” or any other such nonsense, will be.
I don’t think anybody’s saying we should be stage-managed by anybody else, or only be positive about the party’s current course. Just remember that the media will likely take the worst possible slant on what you’re saying, and be a little wary!
@ Dave Page
Your reading of what I was saying is spot on !
So how are you going to let Nick et al know how you feel about the Coalition (that is if you disagree with what is happening) if everyone is going to play at happy families? They need to know how the grassroots feel and the message needs to be forthright and clear. Infact if you give the media the impression that everyone is happy within the party then the public’s perception of there being no difference between the Tories and LibDems will be reinforced.
Or http://bit.ly/a364SM