I’ve just been going through the tweets from Scottish Lib Dem Conference. Here’s a selection.
Now, who’s that chairing the debate?
#sldconf debating its first motion; @DavidMGreen92 calling for fairer energy charges for people in north and islands pic.twitter.com/nl7OzOSNZD
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) February 26, 2016
A stop on Willie and Alex’s World Tour of Nurseries
Snack time for @willie_rennie and Alex Cole-Hamilton at an Edinburgh nursery! #sldconf pic.twitter.com/AYgYWOebVw
— Scot Lib Dems (@scotlibdems) February 26, 2016
But some people couldn’t concentrate on the debate..
There's a very large chandelier above my head. Hope there's no Phantom of the Opera moment. #sldconf pic.twitter.com/YL8CbMVPDc
— James Harrison (@JamesWHarrison) February 26, 2016
Two views on tracking:
I'll be voting for the amendment & the motion – as a stopgap measure it is vital that the EU reduces its reliance on Russian energy #sldconf
— Hannah Bettsworth (@H_Bettsworth) February 26, 2016
We should be a radical party. Let's focus on renewables and not fracking. This will be a much clearer message to the electorate #sldconf
— James Harrison (@JamesWHarrison) February 26, 2016
Party legend Derek Barrie has been running elections since the early 1960s, but he’s never done this before:
Party legend Derek Barrie's first ever selfie #sldconf pic.twitter.com/pkqfY1pvdn
— Caron Lindsay (@caronmlindsay) February 26, 2016
.@scotlibdems MSPs have "achieved more in the last 5yrs than all the SNP backbenchers put together" @willie_rennie says #sldconf
— Katrine Bussey (@KatrineBussey) February 26, 2016
This is per primary school child:
.@willie_rennie announces £1400 pupil premium to help kids from poorer backgrounds at school. #sldconf
— Caron Lindsay (@caronmlindsay) February 26, 2016
#sldconf @willie_rennie outlining positive effects of pupil premium on improving attainment ft disadvantaged
— Elisabeth Wilson (@elis_wilson) February 26, 2016
Word cloud (from yesterday) of @willie_rennie speech to @scotlibdems conference #sldconf pic.twitter.com/jNEDF3k0Fw
— Kevin Jackson (@kevinnjackson) February 27, 2016
An important vote pleases a children’s charity.
Fantastic news from #sldconf who have just adopted a policy to ban physical punishment of children.
— NSPCC Scotland (@NSPCC_Scotland) February 26, 2016
And on to matters constitutional, an attempt to get Alistair Carmichael to decimate himself?
Robbie Simpson introduces a slightly bizarre constitutional amendment. #sldconf pic.twitter.com/EpgH9NV5zx
— Caron Lindsay (@caronmlindsay) February 27, 2016
Our fall from grace in May meant that we couldn’t legitimately elect a deputy leader because it would require a second MP to nominate him. However, this anomaly was rectified by an amendment requiring 1/10 of the MPs to nominate the Deputy Leader. So Alistair can over-nominate.
But not everyone was happy with that change:
There being one person against a minor drafting change is peak liberalism #sldconf
— Hannah Bettsworth (@H_Bettsworth) February 27, 2016
Every time Alison McInnes’s name was mentioned at Conference, there was a massive outburst of spontaneous applause. There are very few people who are happy that she’s only second on the North East list:
Alison McInnes MSP making a storming speech at #sldconf on the need for gender equality – Holyrood can't afford to lose such talent
— Jo Swinson (@joswinson) February 27, 2016
And then look who showed up..
Tim Farron is greeted by Willie Rennie at #sldconf https://t.co/OCPF4dV6BT
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) February 27, 2016
The hall was really pretty.
Gorgeous #sldconf hall pic.twitter.com/MOA3IoFNA4
— Caron Lindsay (@caronmlindsay) February 27, 2016
And what did Tim talk about?
Glowing tributes to @agcolehamilton and the work he is doing for people in Edinburgh Western. #sldconf pic.twitter.com/ZkB6102K1P
— Dan Farthing-Sykes (@lib_dem_dan) February 27, 2016
Britain is a fair, tolerant and compassionate country and Cameron is betraying British values with his leadership, says Farron #sldconf
— Jenni Davidson (@HolyroodJenni) February 27, 2016
Word cloud of @timfarron speech to @scotlibdems conference #sldconf pic.twitter.com/RcEtjNGZEF
— Kevin Jackson (@kevinnjackson) February 27, 2016
Tim Farron now turning fire back on SNP; "ugliness" to Scottish nationalism, says Alex Salmond "turned grievance dial up to 11" #sldconf
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) February 27, 2016
He’s not chuffed with the SNP at all:
"You can't just wrap yourself in the flag and hope that nobody notices you have failed the Scottish people." @timfarron #sldconf
— Hannah Bettsworth (@H_Bettsworth) February 27, 2016
I love Millicent’s LibDemFightback necklace
Love @MissMillicent's #libdemfightback necklace/ #sldconf pic.twitter.com/wDHZZy4UcE
— Caron Lindsay (@caronmlindsay) February 27, 2016
Scottish Lib Dem Women gave their annual award for the person who had done most to improve diversity in the party to Willie Rennie:
#sldconf wrapping up with awards; Willie Rennie (jokingly) exclaims "this is what it was all about!" as he wins one
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) February 27, 2016
One new member went home happy:
Inspirational #sldconf – from fringes on inclusion, meeting our great candidates and making my first conference speech! #LibDemFightback
— Charity Pierce (@CharityPierce92) February 28, 2016
And one absent friend was very much on all of our minds.
We had a great #sldconf this weekend. The only thing we missed was hearing from our much missed friend Charles… https://t.co/sujooIXcXg
— Dan Farthing-Sykes (@lib_dem_dan) February 28, 2016
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
One Comment
What IS the point of so called “social media”? It’s thankfully passed me by. Here in Jurassic Park we dinosaurs prefer to read something constructive, not the chitter chatter that most of the above appears to be.