Late Sunday

To ease the full on assault on my bank balance, I had a burger and chips at a fish and chip shop on the way back to my room. Straight out of the fryer, piping hot, the first few mouthfuls were the most delicious things I have eaten for a long while.

Monday

Rather than have another fast food breakfast I invested in some eggs, tomatoes and cheese to make one of my microwave omelette-type thingees. I still have the ingredients for another one on Tuesday.

To the Reimagining International Development fringe with a panel including Monica Harding MP and representatives from the Tony Blair Institute. We helped to ensure a 0.7% of GDP spend on ID. That was reduced to 0.5% and now, in a panicky shortsighted move by Keith Starmer, to 0.3% from 2027. And about two thirds of that is spent in the UK on refugees in a bizarre double count with the Home Office budget. That leaves an aid budget of just 0.1% of GDP. Still, there were some refreshing ideas in the room about how to spend the money wisely and how to unlock finance mechanisms and private funds.

I attended the discussion on protecting safe routes for refugees and creating progressive alternatives rooted in compassion and dignity. The panel consisted of British Future Director Sunder Katwala alongside Lisa Smart MP and Tim Farron MP. A thoroughly sensible discussion.

To the hall motion “Protecting the rights of Hong Kongers” – I am proud to say that, as the party of Paddy Ashdown, we are stalwartly supporting Hong Kongers both on the UK and in Hong Kong itself.

I went to the Q&A on Health and Care with Helen Morgan and Danny Chambers. I had an ulterior motive: I wanted to ask a question about ME/CFS/Long Covid. By arriving very early and sitting in the front row I made absolutely sure my hand wasn’t lost in the forest of hands going up when the excellent chair, Charley Hasted, as much as glanced at the audience. I asked my question, Helen answered it well and I recorded both to send to my friend who suffers from ME/CFS.

To the hall motion: Certainty for Ukrainian Children living in the UK. I work for a charity which gives free meals to families, including Ukrainian families. I’ve spoken to a couple of the parents. Their stories are heart breaking and it is heart warming that we can act as a haven for them. This motion will hopefully help give a little more certainty to them. Goodness knows, they deserve it.

It was great to catch up with my Newbury/West Berkshire friends over a pizza. With friends Erik and Lee Dillon MP, we went on to the Glee. It was great hanging on to the coattails of Lee as he has some great friends in the parliamentary party.

It was great to meet up with my friend Tom Morrison MP who is a real star.

It was a real pleasure to meet Ian Roome MP for North Devon. He is a larger than life character. Star of the Glee, Jennie Rigg, calls him “my Yorkshire Devonian friend”. It is just invigorating being in his immediate orbit. See photo below.

Lee pulled out his House of Commons credit card, which is very impressive.

It was a huge pleasure to meet, at last, Ben Maguire, the excellent MP for North Cornwall. Ben succeeds the excellent Liberals Paul Tyler and John Pardoe in that role. The reason I have been relatively immersed in this whacky world that we call “politics” for over fifty years, is because when I was 10, the wonderful Liberal MP for North Cornwall, John Pardoe, made speeches from the top of his Land Rover at the bottom of our lane in Bude. This big bear of a man had a huge charisma and spoke passionately about the day’s topics. He just seemed to be talking complete sense, but in a very punchy and energetic way. I was just blown away by him and via attending school on the 1970 election day dressed from head to toe in orange (I kid you not) I have remained a Liberal ever since.

If I needed reminding of all that, the Glee club (which I have missed for a few years) came along. I have rarely had as much fun with my clothes on. It was terrific. Made better for the first time by not being drunk. 😊

Tuesday

My friend Simon made a speech about the editorial tidying up of the constitution. He spoke against renumbering of paragraphs and the use of the words ‘may not’.

Sadly, my hair was requiring quite a lot of tidying up so I missed this constitutional extravaganza. What fun they must have had!

To the main hall for the motion “Defending women’s rights across the globe”. Just when you think you have heard the best speech ever, another one comes along. Shamim talked with searing honesty about her harrowing experience. She was violently abused and thrown out of her home. She went from pillar to post trying to get help and eventually was helped by Women’s Aid. She has just graduated with a university degree and is standing as a council candidate. Wow! It was humbling to hear of Shamim’s painful but ultimately successful journey. We are privileged to have her in our party.

As I walked up past the Marriott Hotel I saw a lizard. Not a sight you often see in the UK.

The Leader’s Speech. I have to remain tight-lipped about how I witnessed the Leader’s Speech. Suffice it to say, I was in a secure undisclosed location undertaking a thorough analysis of every word with a panel of experts. A record of our deliberations will enter the public domain after the customary 30 year period has elapsed.

I want to thank the designers of the Liberal Democrat conference app for their “My schedule” tool which, as well as acting as an excellent lode star for me when I need to know what to do next during the conference, also aided my memory in producing these diary pieces. 😊

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.