Greetings from my very comfy bed in York where I have spent most of my time since I arrived at lunchtime yesterday. I did manage to get out to make sure that the Mason’s Arms had an adequate of supply of Black Cherry gin and catch up with Lib Dem Voice colleagues, with more of us in one place at any time since Bournemouth 2019. Mary Reid, Mark Valladares, Paul Walter, Charley Hasted and I are all around so do come and say hello.

A Q and A from Ed Davey, speeches from MPs Anna Sabine and James MacCleary and debates on issues such as access to driving tests and lessons (which will see an effort to refer it back), preserving trial by jury, a liberal vision for universities, and mental health form today’s fun at Conference.

Don’t forget to try and wander round the exhibition as well and find out what the party’s affiliated organisations and some external bodies want to talk to us about.

If you are not here, you can watch on the livestream here.

Whatever you are doing, have a super day.

Here’s the full agenda.

There are, of course a plethora of training events and fringe meetings which you can find out about, along with the text of the motions, in the agenda and Conference Extra here.

11.00–12.30 Consultative session: International Security

13.00–14.00 Consultative session: Primary Healthcare

18.15–19.45 Consultative session: Defending Democracy

09.00–09.10 F1 Opening of Conference

09.10–09.30

F2 Report: Federal Conference Committee

F3 Report: Federal Policy Committee 09.30–09.40

F4 Constitutional Amendment: Local Government Matters: A Councillor Seat on the Federal Conference Committee

09.40–10.15 F5 Policy Motion: Driving Forward – Road to Access

10.15–11.10 F6 Policy Motion: Preserving Trial by Jury 11.10–11.25

F7 Speech: Anna Sabine MP 11.25–12.50

F8 Policy Motion: Revitalising Town Centres and High Streets

12.50–14.10 Lunch break and fringe 14.10–14.55

F9 Question and Answer Session with Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats

14.55–15.40 F10 Policy Motion: From Local Roots to Global Reach – A Liberal Vision for Universities

15.40–15.55 F11 Speech: James MacCleary MP

15.55–17.05 F12 Policy Motion: Whole-Person Mental Health: Care, Choice, Community, and Combatting Populism

17:05-17:20 F13 Report: Federal Board

17.20–18.00 F14 Business Motion: Diversity, Inclusion and Representation

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social