The British Political Conference Season - The Insider Media Perspective

We're in the middle of the political conference season. Ed Miliband will be delivering his keynote speech to the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool this afternoon following Nick Clegg's speech last week to the Liberal Democrat conference in Birmingham. Next week it will be David Cameron's turn in the Tory conference. Here in Wales, Plaid Cymru also had their annual autumn gathering two weeks ago.

Whilst I was in Birmingham last week, I spent a few hours at the bar in the company of one of Wales' political reporters. We had a good chat about all things political and rugby (it is World Cup season after all!) and I asked him how in his experience, did the different political party conferences compare. What he relayed to me gave a fascinating insight into a media perspective on these political gatherings.

He said that in his view the Liberal Democrat conference was a 'very nice' kind of gathering. The kind where delegates will drink a cup of tea and have a sandwich. Certainly more professional now that we're in government compared to how it was in years gone by but still with a sense of eccentricity about it. I can't really disagree with that! What interested me particularly though was his view on the conferences of the other parties as I have no insider knowledge of them.

When it came to the 'fun' stakes, he said the Labour Party conference, particularly in Wales, was the worst. It was tribal and from what he was implying, didn't have any redeeming features of which to speak. I suppose the inner-party rivalries and the factionalism that was rife during the latter part of their 13 years in power took its toll internally.  His take on the Plaid Cymru conference was interesting in that he said in recent years, particularly since they went into government in Cardiff in 2007, they had tried to become more professional themselves and had lost a lot of the 'fun' aspect that had been before. It is now apparently, a party conference that runs on media spin and policy soundbites more than ever before.

But it was his take on the Conservative conference which for me was the most interesting. The Conservative Conference he said was easily the most enjoyable. He said that it was their over the top exhuberance that made it so much more lively than any of the others. Whilst liberals might be drinking tea and eating sandwiches, Tories would be drinking champagne and dining much more lavishly. I suppose this is the Conservative way.

He said that out of all of the party conferences, the worst in his personal opinion as a neutral observer was the Labour conference. The Lib Dem and the Plaid Cymru conferences came in on about par with each other but the Conservative Party conference was far ahead of the rest.

I know of friends who visit all party conferences on behalf of their work, and it would be interesting to hear whether this is the kind of view also held by those working in the voluntary sector or in private enterprise. For whilst this is only one political reporters take on this rather unique and quirky part of British political life, it surely must resonate with others who have experienced the goings-on at all of the party conferences in recent years?

Personally, I'm just thankful that I don't have to attend them all. 5 days at the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference per year is more than enough for me. It is an exhausting few days and I don't know how those lobbyists who live on the conference circuit manage to do so!

Johann Hari: A Personal Apology

I'm in a rather melancholic mood this evening. I've received some sad personal news so I'm in a rather reflective frame of mind.

It is as such that I happened to fall upon this Personal Apology from Johann Hari in today's Independent.

As an Independent reader for many years, I've been a Johnann Hari fan for some time. I've not always agreed with everything that he has said but on balance, I have done so and I have throughout, been impressed with the way that he has tackled a number of significant issues head on.

I'd heard that he had found himself in trouble for his writing style under claims of plagiarism and that he had been suspended by the newspaper whilst it undertook an inquiry into his ethical workings.

His response today is a brutally frank and painfully honest apology.

It saddens me greatly that it has come to this. As he points out, his fall from grace is a particularly public and humiliating one because he himself has held others to account for their failings. He now has had to taste that same bitter medicine.

But there's more to this that adds to my sense of sadness. He comments on the issue of the perceived plagiarism. It's a tecnhical issue that he discusses but he accepts that what he did was wrong and that he was arrogant and stupid to not ask for the advice of his colleagues on the matter of how he assembled his stories from the sources that he had gathered.

But it's his second revelation and apology which particularly sadenned me on reading it this evening. It was an acknowledgement that he had gone into the Wikipedia accounts of opponents that he had clashed with over the years and altered the entries in a juvenile and malicious manner. I was unaware of these doings but clearly they must have come to light as a part of the investigation that has been on-going over the summer.

I feel greatly let-down by a journalist who stood for high ethical morals and yet who, in his own time, reduced himself to such purile behaviour.

But everyone deserves a second chance and Johann Hari is not excluded from that. I hope his public humiliation will result in his re-evaluating certain facets of his character and of his writing technique.

As his statement concludes:

"In my work, I’ve spent a lot of time dragging other people’s flaws into the light. I did it because I believe that every time you point out that somebody is going wrong, you give them a chance to get it right next time and so reduce the amount of wrongdoing in the world. That’s why, although it has been a really painful process and will surely continue to be for some time, I think in the end I’ll be grateful my flaws have also been dragged into the light in this way. I would like to apologise again to my readers, my colleagues and the people hurt by my actions. I know that some of you have lost faith in my work. I will do everything I can now to regain it. I hope, after a period of retraining, you will give me the chance".

The Independent's reply can be read here. Hari is to take four months' unpaid leave to undertake a programme of journalism training at his own expense. He will also return the Orwell Prize which was awarded to him in 2008.

Chris Blackhurst, editor of The Independent, said:

"We always pride ourselves on pursuing the highest ethical standards at The Independent. Regrettably, Johann fell below those in some aspects of his journalism. He has acknowledged his mistakes and made a full apology. There is no doubting his talent as a columnist and we are hoping to see him back in The Independent in the not too distant future”.

It's a human tragedy for this young man but his employers are clearly willing to give him, after a period of time, a second chance. I for one, will give him that chance as well.

Murdoch's Watergate? Cameron's Watergate? A Historian's Perspective

Having been away in London, I've not had time to comment on the incredible #hackgate developments.

It has been an astonishing pace of events that has shook the British media, its police and its politicians to their foundations. Much has been said and is being said about what has happened and the situation is so fluid that we can not tell where this is going to end. So the best that I can do at this juncture is to take a step back and to make some observations on what has already happened from my perspective as a historian.

Hackgate
Modern society overuses the 'gate' suffix at an alarmingly regular rate nowadays and in all reality, none of the modern uses can really match the severity of the original Watgergate moment in history. A pretty comprehensive list can be found here and forasmuch as 'Sharongate' in Eastenders may have had the nation transfixed back in the early 1990s or Nipplegate in which Justin Timberlake revealed Janet Jackson's nipple during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVIII may have caught the world in awe, do they really deserve comparison with a scandal that ousted an American President? Of course not. But over recent days and weeks, as more information has been released and more people have been implicated in this mire, I get a sense in my historic bones, that something really ia afoot here and what we are watching are the ingrediants for what will be a seismic shift in our cultural politic from what has been over the past four or so decades.

(a) Murdoch's Demise?
The whole point of Watergate was that at its core, there was a rotten political centre which as it transpired, went right up to the very top of America's political chain of command to the Commander-in-Chief in the White House.

James and Rupert Murdoch facing a House of Commons
Select Committee Grilling

Here, the rotten core has been in the ethics and standards of the tabloid journalists primarily in the News of the World but wider than that, throughout the News International empire and indeed, further afield across the spectrum.

It so happens however, that the hideous and disbelieving antics of a number of reporters during the past decade at the very least, were found at News International on the Murdoch's watch. What has transpired since has been a momentus and seemingly never-ending barrage of developments that have further showed this part of the Murdoch Empire to be wrapped up in dirty and dodgy dealings. As a result, the famous and historic News of the World name was allowed to be killed off in an attempt to placate the rising tide of anger and revulsion at what was being disclosed.

But of course, one of the hallmarks of this crisis has been the way in which Rupert and son James Murdoch have been unable to keep up with events and are playing a constant scrambling game of catch-up. For a family that has for so long lived in the public eye and has made its millions by being at the forefront of media campaigns, it is an incredible volte-face that see's them now struggling to deal with the searing light of the world's media attention. They have so badly misunderstood the public mood, their reaction to events has far from calmed the growing current that has turned against them but has in fact exacerbated and made worse that tide.

In only a matter of weeks, everything has changed. Who could seriously have thought just a month ago before the recent Milly Dowler revelations were made public, that a Parliamentary motion calling on Murdoch to drop his bid for the 100% sharehold in BSkyB would be supported unanimously by all parties and that as a result of this rare show of solidarity, Murdoch would indeed drop the bid?

Who could have believed the scenes of watching both Rupert and son James on Tuesday in front of a House of Commons select committee? It was indeed a historic and disbelieving event to witness. Suddenly, here was the media tycoon whose empire has held British politicians from both the Labour and Conservative benches over the past 3 decades in the palm of his hand, being brought back to heel as he faced questions about his company, its ethics and about his role in the events that have seen its share price collapse by some 17%. Murdoch Snr it suddenly became apparent to us, was now this frail old octogenarian who is getting no younger and who is clearly past his prime and not in control of his vast media empire as many may have felt was the case.

It is apparent, that many of his fellow executives at News Corporation are seeking to stregthen their grip on the corporate managment of the company from what seems to have been the lazy gaze of its Chief Executive and his heir apparent. The sudden and dramatic share price collapse of the company will certainly have concentrated minds to this effect. Also rumoured amongst this growing discontent at the Board level is that the company may want to look more seriously at its future in the British press. It is a widely felt view that the ownership of the Times and Sun titles in the UK owes more to Murdoch Snr's pet enthusiasm which emanates from his father's journalistic background and his own earlier years in breaking through in the 1960s than to a financial imperative. For the News International stable of newspapers from a British context at least is only a small part of News Corporation's bigger picture. It may be unlikely but it is not inconceivable that post-Murdoch, these papers might be sold off and what of that? A British tabloid and quality press without the Murdoch fingerprint written all over it after over 40 years at its heart?

Murdoch showed contrition on his appearance in Westminster in Tuesday but then so he might. In a matter of weeks he has seen everything that he has created and everything that he has stood for questioned. Hackgate has made him as vulnerable a target as he has ever been and whilst he may cling on to power or may be moved upstairs to become Chairman of the company, it would seem that these events will hasten the transition from power of this once mighty media mogul. It is now also highly questionable that son James will automatically take over the mantle from his father and if it proves in time that he doesn't, then it will indeed be another humiliating blow to the prestige and power of the Murdoch brand.

Most importantly of all from this perspective is how this on-going episode will alter the relationship between the media and the politicians that run our country. Suddenly, no-one wants to be seen near the toxic Murdoch brand because that's exactly what it has become - toxic. Having a proper and respectful distance and seperation of the media and political worlds in the UK is now likely in the foreseeable future and this in itself, whatever happens to Murdoch and his family, can only be a good thing.

Maybe Vince Cable was right all-along!

(b) David Cameron's Demise?
What then of the political ramifications of these developments?

Disgraced British Prime
Minister David Cameron?

In 1974, it became apparent that the rotten core that had seen US government put under the spotlight was actually orchestrated from the very top. President Nixon was forced to beceome the first and only American President to date in history, to resign his office because of the nature of the deceit and the part that he played in it.

Only last week, it didn't seem as if David Cameron would be badly touched by these events but such has been the speed of the revelations that the bookmakers have slashed the odds of his being the next resignation fron the Cabinet.

The dodgy connection of course is Andy Coulson and whilst the Prime Minister has done his best to robustly defend his position as he did in the House of Commons yesterday, it seems as if the more that is said, the more that is left un-said. It is probably most likely that David Cameron himself is an innocent by-stander in all of this and that his only mistake was one of judgement in which he believed all that Coulson said to him. Coulson may of course be exonerated by the Judicial inquiry and so in connection, will Cameron. But if not, Cameron's judgement will be seriously questioned but of course it does not stop there.

As with Watergate, it all comes down to who knows, what do they know and when did they know it.

Cameron's repeated protestations in the House of Commons yesterday, using the same carefully-phrased legal wording, seemed to cry of Shakespeare's Macbeth: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks".



Disgraced American President Richard Nixon

What did he know of Coulson's relations with the blackened journalists? What indeed did Coulson know himself and did the Prime Minister know the same? What indeed did the PM say to the Murdoch's and Rebekah Brooks during his many meetings with them regarding the possible BSkyB takeover?

Suddenly, every word uttered by the Prime Minister takes on a much greater significance. There are many imponderables and if Cameron honestly is free from all legitimate accusations, then he will be fine. But, if like Nixon, there is a discussion along the way or a knowledge of events that can implicate him in the wider furore, then it could well be as seriously damaging and far-reaching as that American political crisis of 4 decades ago.

All it needs is for one whistleblower or for one errant remark to me made that blows yet more out of this hideous can of worms.

In the meantime, the 24 media coverege that seems to be dedicated to the sensational new twists and turns that unleash yet more interest in this story, can far too easily forget the other great stories of this time. The fragility of the Euro-zone and its impact on us and the starvation of millions in Somalia are just two stories that spring to mind that are being clouded from view by hackgate.

But for all the words and all of the analysis, as is ever the case with such things, it is only time that will tell whether hackgate does indeed have the long-term repercussions on our society as the original 'gate' did on its American counterpart, back in the 1970s.

The Final Countdown: News of the World to Close Down

Wow.

It has been one of the most shocking of news storylines of recent years and it has claimed an incredible scalp.

The News of the World newspaper was first published on 1 October 1843 and its last edition will be published this Sunday until 10 July 2011.

The story can be found here on the BBC website.

Indeed, wikipedia are already ahead of the game - describing the paper in the past tense!

This is an extraordinary step but then these are extraordinary days and whilst there are journalists who now have a questionable future, the severity of the allegations means that this decision is an appropriate and proportionate response.

I never needed to boycott the News of the World as I never read it but I'm nevertheless pleased that this incredible act has been made.

Will it change the way that journalism operates in the United Kingdom? Will it merely lead to a re-marketed 'Sunday Sun' as a replacement.? We can not be assured either way of course but the scale of this crisis has run unbelievably deep.

The investigations into the hacking however must continue and those guilty, going right up to the top, must pay. This act can not be used as a smokescreen to hide away Rupert Murdoch Snr and Jnr and Rebekah Brooks and also not to cloud the issue of Murdoch's planned media takeover which the Government are currently considering.

A potential Sunday Sun which would simply be a re-hash of the NOTW, will still be run by the same people. Will the angry British public make the link and boycott any such project? I'd hope so. It is us the public that will decide. Time will tell.

Rebekah Brooks should however be ashamed of herself. It should first and foremost be her resignation on the table.

The closure of the News of the World is neverthless, if nothing else in the interim, a small victory for decency and humanity. Rebekah Brooks's resignation would be a significant other.

The Ed Miliband Media Car Crash

I was speechless when I saw this BBC interview with Ed Miliband yesterday. It was one of the most gut-wrenchingly awful media performances I've seen from the Labour Party leader.

Whatever your view on the strikes yesterday, Miliband's muddle was excruciatingly painful to watch. His parrot-like repetition of the same tried and tested lines spoke of a man clearly ill at ease with his script, knowing as he did that he was walking a near impossible tightrope of trying to appease his own party whilst not being painted into a corner by 'middle Britain'. He sounded wooden and stilted and thoroughly un-natural.

The final question was truly awful. Given an opportunity to provide some humanity as a father of children, he just trotted out the same line that he'd worn out over the previous 2 minutes.



Who is Ed's media consultant? Because if someone honestly told him that this was the way to interview then they need really should consider a new career in watching paint dry.

For my sanity Ed and for the sake of your leadership of the Labour Party, sort it out before your Party sort you out instead.

Ryan Giggs - A Moral Tragedy

Well, only hours after I blogged here yesterday about the superinjunction, John Hemming MP stood up in Parliament and used his Parliamentary Privilege to state the name of the Premier League football player who had used a superinjunction to try and cover a supposed 7 months affair with Imogen Thomas and who also attempted to take his wrath out on the thousands of Twitterers who ridiculed him for trying to do so.

That name it comes as a surprise to no-one, was Ryan Giggs.

No surprise as his name was being bandied about on the internet for days and indeed had made the front cover of Scotland's Sunday Herald.

But in the longer context of the issue, it is a surprise. As I mentioned in my blog post yesterday, I wanted to say a few words on release of his name, to show my dismay at what is an unexpected turn of events.

This is my sorry explanation...

"The Ultimate Football Professional - Ryan Giggs"
These were my own words - the words that I used in a blog post written here back in October to contrast against what I saw as the shameful attitude of Wayne Rooney towards his employees Manchester United.

I wanted to demonstrate that Rooney could well take a leaf out of Giggs' book in how to be a model professional.

I must guote the piece in full...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Ryan Giggs has played his entire career for one club - the same Manchester United as Wayne Rooney. An unprecedented near 850 appearances over 20 years. He was won more league titles than any other in the history of the game, two European Cups and countless other domestic trophies.

"Yet, off the pitch, he has been an exemplar of good behaviour. Now married with a young family, you'll only see him on the back pages for his exploits on the pitch, not on the front pages of the tabloids for his exploits in a club or in someone's bed.

"For any aspiring young footballer, for dedication and commitment on the pitch and for a level-headedness off it, they need look no further than Ryan Giggs".

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Well, what can I say?! I'm absolutely stunned and flabergasted that I was proven to be wholly incorrect.

Innocent until proven guilty of course but in this case, it would seem that where there's smoke, there's fire. I have no reason to disbelieve Imogen Thomas when she states that she and Giggs had had a 7 month affair and stories here of his previous indiscretions adds to the liklihood that she's telling the truth. Also, the way in which he has tried to smother the affair with the superinjunction and with his crass and incredulous attack on Twitter users leaves a lot to be desired. It is a PR disaster on his part but more importantly, it is a moral tragedy and one which I had not expected. I find it deeply saddening that he could apparently do such a thing to his wife and the mother of his children.

Giggs is a world class player and I hope that he can help lead Manchester United to another European Cup triumph against Barcelona this weekend. I still regard him in the higher most echelon of footballing playing talent that this country has ever witnessed. Nothing will change that. But he has badly tarnished what was otherwise, a brilliant reputation as a footballer and as a role model through these actions.

It makes me wince when I re-read what I confidently wrote of him back in October.

Through his actions, he has in my opinion, blackened the image that was projected to young and aspiring football players as a model to follow. This is possibly the greatest tragedy of all.

How could I have been so wrong?

A Footballer, Imogen Thomas and a Superinjunctional Farce

Peter Black makes a valid point in his blog this morning on the on-going farce that is the current superinjunction debate.

I haven't waded into the debate until now but it is a very sorry state of affairs.

I've blogged of my great admiration for this footballer before in this blog but he and his lawyers have made a right pigs-ear of this situation.

Yesterday's Sunday Herald on the right (with thanks to Andrew Reeves for the photo), clearly shows who we're talking about and of course, it is the worst kept secret at present as thousands of Twitter users pour ridicule over him for his attempt to gag this modern form of communication.

In this modern age as Peter mentions, is there any real future for this old style of judicial censorship? It really is a bizzare position in which we find ourselves when foreign press and even those in Scotland are able to say what the rest of us know and indeed are also saying on the web but the press in England and Wales are still gagged from doing so.

But for me, the greatest shame is for the reputation of one of Britain's greatest ever football players. Once this is resolved and finally made 'public' in the old-fashioned conventional sense, I'll return one final time to explain why I'm so disappointed at his indiscretions considering what I've written about him on this blog in the past.

Please feel free to type his name into my blog's search engine if you want to read that article. I don't really need to tell you his name here do I...

A Cardigan Fit for Jeans

Saturday's Western Mail ran this article about the revival that we here in Cardigan are about to witness in the jeans industry.


Local pioneers
David and Clare Hieatt

David Hieatt, the founder of the howies brand, is looking to tap into the skills of the area by employing at this initial stage, 5 skilled machinists to produce the premium Hiut Jeans denim which he plans to sell at around £150-£200 each and which will be aimed at top markets in London and Japan. He aims to open his new factory in Parc Teifi in July.

The skill base is there because it was barely a decade ago that the Dewhurst factory in Cardigan closed down and with it, went 400 jobs. It was a hammer blow to the local economy and it's taken time for it to recover.

Cardigan's old Dewhurst Factory

As I was quoted as saying in the Western Mail article, this is great news for Cardigan. The talent is there and is waiting to be untapped and it will be great to know that jeans are being produced here in Cardigan once more. It will also be a much needed extra shot in the arm for our local economy and in these challenging times, is a development that is to be greatly welcomed.

As David himself said: "It will be a tiny start-up but Levis started small too!"

Quite right David! Good luck to you in this excellent new venture.

A Word of Congratulations to Paul Davies AM - Interim Welsh Conservative Party Leader

One of the big stories from Thursday's Welsh Assembly election was the Welsh Conservative Party's loss of its leader Nick Bourne AM.

Because of the vagaries of the AMS electoral system used here in Wales, the Conservatives' success in winning Montgomeryshire and holding onto Preseli Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituencies meant that their Mid & West Wales regional Assembly Member and leader lost his seat. Their very success, meant that their leader was ejected from his seat in Cardiff Bay having led his party there for a decade. As he himself admitted, it was a 'bittersweet moment' - the pleasure of political success tinged with the personal loss of his own position.

Step Forward Paul Davies AM
So one of the early post-election questions has centred around the person of Nick Bourne's replacement. Because now that the Conservatives have for the first time in the Assembly's history, overtaken Plaid Cymru by 14 seats to 11, they are now the seond largest party in the Senedd and their new leader will automatically become the leader of the opposition (a post also held by Nick Bourne in the last Labour-Plaid Assembly Government).

Nomination papers for Nick Bourne's successor will be sent out on May 11th and the winner will be declared on July 14th. Monmouth's AM Nick Ramsay and South Wales Central AM Andrew R.T. Davies are said to be considering leadership bids as is Clwyd West's Darren Millar.

In the meantime, it is the Assembly Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire, Paul Davies AM who has been tasked with leading this strengthened group over the weeks ahead.

I think the Welsh political world was slightly taken aback by this development when he was chosen by a joint meeting of the management board and assembly group on Saturday. But in many ways, it makes complete sense. Paul is a well respected and liked local west Walian politician. He grew up in Pontsian in southern Ceredigion and stood in the 2000 by-election and the 2001 General Election in Ceredigion where he posted his party's best results before or since in the constituency since 1992 with 19% of the vote in 2001.

He then stood in Preseli Pembrokeshire in 2003 where he scored 29% of the vote and on standing again in 2007, increased his vote by 9% and won the seat from Labour with an impressive majority of 3,205. This May, despite a concerted effort by Labour to win the seat back, Paul held onto his seat with a decreased majority of 2,175. But that figure hides the fact that whilst the Labour vote went up by 7%, Paul's also went up by almost 4% to 42%.

I've met Paul a few times. He now lives just over the border in Pembrokeshire, a few miles south of Cardigan in Blaenffos. I've been on Welsh language political media panels with him in the past such as Pawb A'i Farn and he's a very decent, reasonable, likeable man. Compared to many in Welsh politics, he's a 'quiet man', but he's well respected and will in his own words, be a 'safe pair of hands' as interim leader before Nick Bourne's successor is unveiled.

Paul has said that he does not intend to put his name forward himself and will quite rightly remain neutral in the contest that is to ensue. No doubt this stance made him an easy choice for the Welsh Conservatives as their interim leader but his supposed lack of ambition on this front should not take-away from the fact that he will be a popular and well respected leader of his party in the short-term.

Well done Paul - a deserved appointment for a decent man.

Welsh Liberal Democrats Launch Assembly Manifesto in Ceredigion

It's been a busy week. Amongst all of the campaigning, we hosted the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP to Ceredigion last week when he visited our candidate Elizabeth Evans' hometown of Aberaeron to meet local representatives of the local business community.

Today, we were back in Aberaeron for the launch of the Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Manifesto.

Kirsty Williams, our popular Welsh leader, officially launched the manifesto this lunchtime in front of the TV cameras (and Newsnight's Michael Crick!) and a gathering of supporters. Our Elizabeth Evans introduced Kirsty and the assembled media pack to Aberaeron and Kirsty's manifesto launch went out (so I'm told) live on BBC News 24.


Kirsty Williams launching the Welsh Liberal Democrat
Manifesto Today in Aberaeron

Kirsty Williams, in launching our manifesto said:

“This election is the chance for the people of Wales to set the direction of the Welsh government until 2016.

“My children are at primary school. By the time we next debate these issues at a Welsh election, by the time we next decide the direction of schooling in Wales, they will be kapproaching their GCSEs. For them and for thousands of other children, this will be their chance.

“This election is too important to allow the Labour Party to ignore Welsh issues. Labour and Plaid have left us with a weak economy, underfunded schools and an NHS that costs more but delivers less. The Welsh people deserve a proper conversation about how we in Wales address these issues.

“No more excuses. The Welsh Liberal Democrats believe that Wales can do better. That is why we are setting out a radical manifesto full of positive ideas to:

· Create jobs and improve our economy by offering companies £2,000 for staff training if they provide jobs to unemployed young people.

· Tackle the spending gap, providing more money for schools by targeting additional money at the 80,000 pupils who need it the most so that schools can afford to invest in the things that really matter, such as smaller class sizes or one-on-one teaching.

· Cut waiting times by cutting waste. We will improve healthcare by switching ineffective spending in the NHS to the frontline.

· Radically overhaul the energy efficiency of an extra 12,000 homes by doubling the money available for tackling fuel poverty.

· Make sure your council can deliver for you by cutting restrictions that stop them innovating and acting in the best interest of local communities.”

The fully costed manifesto gives the people of Ceredigion and indeed Wales more generally, an opportunity to support a party that wants to support enterprise and not hold it back. Here in Ceredigion, as the Deputy Prime Minister heard last week, that will be greatly welcomed.

It was great to have our launch, the day after Plaid Cymru had theirs, out in 'real' Wales. Plaid Cymru decided to hold theirs in the Cardiff Bay bubble but we rightly took it out into the country. Indeed, on asking the formiddable BBC journalist Michael Crick (who I can exlusively reveal, is partial to some victoria sponge), when did he last come to this part of the world, he answered by saying that this was the first time that he had visited Aberaeron and his last visit to Aberystwyth was some 10 years ago.

So it was nice to bring the media out of their comfort zone as well!

Now it's back to the door-steps to spread our message of optimism which can be read in the manifesto which Elizabeth and Kirsty launched today in the heart of Wales.

The Deputy Prime Minister - Putting Ceredigion on the Map

Yes, the Deputy Prime Minister came to Ceredigion today.

That is quite possibly the first time that that has been said of a top ranking Government Minister in 90 years since Lloyd George came to Ceredigion in 1921. Certainly, there has been no visit from a Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister in the last 30 years. There was an occasion I'm told when a senior Labour Party leader was heckled whilst driving down Cardigan's High St - was it Harold Wilson or Michael Foot I'm not sure.

But anyway, the point is that the heart of the UK's decision-making process came to Ceredigion today and that's a bloody good thing.

Ceredigion Business Forum
To be precise, Nick Clegg came late this afternoon to Aberaeron on the final leg of his whirlwind tour of Wales. As Elizabeth Evans our Welsh Assembly candidate is an Aberaeron girl, she made it clear that she wanted to bring the Deputy Prime Minister to her home town when the idea of a visited was mentioned a few weeks ago!

He arrived slightly earlier than planned at 4pm by helicopter and we were relieved when we heard that he'd landed as there was a sea mist hanging over the town making the landing that bit more challenging! On touch down, he was welcomed by our local Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams and our Welsh Assembly candidate Elizabeth Evans. He had come to speak to local business people about the local economy - to listen to their concerns and to to take back to the heart of Government, the hopes and fears of rural Wales.

We had only had 48 hours to organise the event having finally been given clearance by special branch on Wednesday so I was delighted that even in such a short time-frame we managed to get business people from across Ceredigion to the event. Traders from Cardigan, Lampeter, New Quay, Aberaeron and Aberystwyth all came along to meet the Deputy Prime Minister and to put their case to him and to Elizabeth, our prospective Assembly Member for Ceredigion.

Issues raised ranged from the banking crisis, to business rates, to unecessary red tape, to the housing market. Nick answered the questions alongside Elizabeth in what was an informal set-up and there was enough time for traders from New Quay, Lampeter, Cardigan, Aberaeron and Aberystwyth to get their questions in.


The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg with
Elizabeth Evans and Mark Williams MP

After the forum finished, Nick and Elizabeth answered questions from the press in The Hive's great outside eating area overlooking Aberaeron Harbour. I'd been tasked with ensuring that the local media were all informed and the local papers were well represented with the editor of the Tivy Side, Sue Lewis present as well as the local Aberaeron reporter Hannah Smith from the Cambrian News and David from the Carmarthen Journal. They were given much more time with Nick than I think they expected and they got some Welsh Cakes too!

ITV Wales and BBC Wales were also present with their cameras so the visit was screened tonight on the Welsh news as seen briefly here - the ITV Wales coverage of it can be see here http://www.itv.com/wales/cleggs-wales-visit87171/.

After some final photos and an ice cream (and a call in French with an African President!), Nick was gone and the stress of helping to organise a high-level Government visit with the security that went with it, had quite literally, flown away!

Putting Ceredigion on the Map
We've had high profile visits before over recent years. Ashdown and Kennedy all came here as Liberal Democrat leaders and I was personally proud as punch to lead Menzies Campbell around Cardigan when he visited as party leader back in 2007

But there's nothing like welcoming a Liberal Democrat Government Minister to our county. Because under previous Conservative and Labour governments, Ceredigion has been ignored. The Liberal Democrats however put that right and I'm proud that Nick, as the Deputy Prime Minister, came to speak to local business people on their turf and on their terms.

Wales Can Do Better - A Welsh Liberal Democrat Conference Review

It's been a great weekend in Cardiff at the Welsh Liberal Democrat conference.

I don't say this lightly or flippantly for the sake of it but because I know it to be true - after all, this was my 19th Welsh Liberal Democrat conference out of a possible 20 since my first one back in Llandudno in the spring of 2002. This, on top of my 14 Federal conferences out of a possible 19 since my first one back in Manchester 2002 means I've been to a total of 33 Liberal Democrat conference in all!

So I could be considered to be a bit of an 'old hack' when it comes to it. But it does give me an insight for one so (reasonably) young at the age of 28 to be able to take a side-ways on perspective of the weekend as I have a decent idea about what I'm talking about!

Biggest Welsh Lib Dem Conference Ever?
As far as the figures go, it was the biggest conference we've ever held. For the second time in 3 years, the Barcelo Angel Hotel in Cardiff hosted us which meant that, as is becoming the norm of late, we were able once more to host the entirety of the conference weekend festivities under one roof which makes it easier for us delegates to get about and see everything that is on offer.

The number of pre-registered delegates were the largest recorded (from what I gather) and for the first time in my memory, the conference dinner was sold out before the weekend had arrived. That meant no tickets available on the day for anyone who was going to chance it.

In my 9 years of conferencing, it really did show itself to be the biggest and best yet.

Security for the Deputy Prime Minister!
We even had on the Friday evening, the almost incredulous sight of security machines in the conference hotel for us to all check through! Why? Because Nick Clegg the federal party leader and now Deputy Prime Minister was to appear at our pre-conference rally.

It certainly feels like a long way forward since those cold and lesser attended conferences in Llandrindod Wells' Coleg Powys!

We've grown as a party and the level of debate has improved as we continue to decide on our party policy as delegates on a 'one member, one vote' basis. We saw that during the course of the weekend as the party agreed policies on education, health, rural affair and transport to name but a few.

We had more training events (something that we never held even up to only a few years ago) to help campaigners for the weeks ahead and there were some fantastic fringe events held by external organisations who were there in good number - again, a much heartier number than I recall in all my years of conferencing.

Media Interest

Chairing conference with my aide, Rhys Jones

We've always been well served by the Welsh media at our spring conferences and this year was no exception. With Nick Clegg addressing us on the Friday and our Welsh leader Kirsty Williams doing the same on the Saturday morning before Vince Cable did so in the later afternoon, there was plenty to talk about.

My weekend was a busy one - particularly on the Saturday - and took in, as it often does, this media element to conference. I chaired conference in the mid-morning, covering the Local Government and Economy debates. It was in part during the morning, broadcast live on S4C.

I then followed that by immediately leading conference in the financial appeal for the first time. It was very much the 'warm-up act' for Kirsty Williams' speech in which I got the crowd laughing and smiling with my inimitable brand of humour whilst doing my best to get as much money out of them as possible for our campaign war chest. It went well and Kirsty then gave a great speech in which she outlined a positive Welsh Liberal Democrat alternative to the failing Labour-Plaid Welsh Assembly Government.

I was straight back onto the nation's TV screens after Kirsty's speech when I did a live sofa-based interview with Dewi Llwyd for S4Cs conference coverage. I did so alongside Gwynoro Jones, a former Labour and SDP MP and former Liberal Democrat member who rejoined the party last May because Nick Clegg 'had the courage to go into Government with the Conservatives to clear up the mess Labour had left behind'.

I've heard of the name before of course and indeed I recall him standing as an Independent candidate on the Mid & West Wales regional list in the Welsh Assembly election in 2007, but I've never met him before and I hadn't realised that he'd re-joined the party (even sporting a Lib Dem bird of freedim tie!). It soon became apparent that his re-joining the party had also evaded the knowledgable Dewi Llwyd's attention and he reacted with some incredulity in the interview by asking Gwynoro how a former Labour MP could re-join the Liberal Democrats for having the guts to go into coalition with the Conservatives! This all meant that my part in the interview was more of a 'bit-part' character than normal but that didn't worry me - it was one of the most amusing interviews I can ever recall participating in!

It can be watched here on S4Cs iPlayer coverage from 1hr 40min.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00fj1sy/Cynhadleddau_Gwanwyn_2011_Y_Democratiaid_Rhyddfrydol/

In the late afternoon, after I'd heard Mark Williams MP propose a 'call to arms' to members to now lead the way in securing a second referendum 'Yes' vote on AV on May 5th after our fantastic success of getting a 'Yes to Wales' referendum victory last Thursday, I took some time out by catching up with colleagues at the conference bar. At this time, some of our younger members from Ceredigion gave an interview to BBC Wales and it can be found here at 1 hr and 50 minutes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00zgvt8/Welsh_Liberal_Democrats_Conference_Spring_Conference_2011_05_03_2011/

Well done to Ollie Duckley, Greg Foster and Hannah Thompson on giving a great performance!

A Conference Dinner Success - with help from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales!
After Vince Cable gave another excellent and honest address to conference (the man really is one of the few people I know who makes economics sound interesting), I settled down in my fantastically close-by B&B for a breather before getting back to the Angel by 6.30pm.

One of the best bits about conference for me is the catching-up with old friends from around the country - the more informal kind of 'networking'. Well I had the chance to do that with the likes of Anders Hanson who was down from Sheffield for the weekend (having previously lived in Aberystwyth). It was during the pre-dinner drinks reception with Anders and our local MP Mark Williams, that a BBC National Orchestra of Wales string quartet started playing right alongside us for our pleasure. I can safely say that it was one of the most surreal conference moments of my life! Never can I recall a Liberal Democrat conference entertaining such a treat! But then, what's wrong with adding a bit of class to the proceedings?! I wonder what Peter Black AM would've made of it had he not have taken a rare weekend off from conferencing himself!

The dinner as already reported, was full and former MP Evan Harris gave another great speech to us as he did last Spring (he was that popular we invited him back!). I was even lucky enough to draw the first raffle prize after the dinner which meant I got first pickings at the prizes and I made the most of my good fortune!

Non-suit Sunday
Sunday was as ever a quieter affair after the manic-ness that is the Saturday at conference. With the media having pretty much all packed their cases and left, it meant that the final few hours could be enjoyed at a more leisurely pace as is usually the case. This can usually be seen through the more dressed-down vibe seen around conference and this year was no expception.

I had been put down to lead on a training module alongside good friend Cllr Nick Tregonning from Swansea but whether it was because they all knew it all already or because they had been out too late at the bar the night before, no-one turned up! But not to worry, Nick and I proceeded to chat the hour away by putting the world to rights!

Conference guided itself to a close in the afternoon. Our Ceredigion Assembly candidate Liz Evans proposed and summated on the transport motion before Welsh Party President Christine Humphreys closed the conference with her traditional address.

Onward to the door-steps...
So, it's been another excellent conference and it is fair to say that, whatever the media may say about our electoral hopes and apirations, our conferences are continuing to go from strength to strength.

So it's back to our homesteads and back to campaigning on the door-steps. It's always great to spend a few days in the company of politically like-minded friends and colleagues but it's good to come home too and to put the policies and ideals that we espouse, into action.

As our conference weekend slogan said, Wales Can Do Better. We now need to spread that gospel on as many doorsteps as possible.

My BBC iPlayer Appearance on S4C's CF99 (the Welsh equivalent to Andrew Neil's 'This Week')

I'm heading back west to Cardigan after a brief trip to Cardiff.

I was contacted by S4C a month or so ago and was asked whether I'd be free to appear on their weekly political discussion programme CF99 - our equivalent to Andrew Neil's 'This Week'. For the 4th time my answer was yes and it can be seen here on BBC's iPlayer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/cy/episode/p00f8jxq/CF99_Wed_23_Feb_2011/

I've been doing media work for the Welsh Liberal Democrats for almost 8 years now. I'd barely been a conference go-er for 12 months before I was asked to take part in my first media interview - a live discussion on Radio Wales' 'Good Morning Wales' programme during our 2003 Welsh Lib Dem conference in Swansea. As it happens, 2 days earlier, the UK and America invaded Iraq and so my first ever media appearance was about this issue. In this case it was a joint effort as I was sitting alongside our more experienced media man Phil Hobson from Monmouthshire.

Well the wheel has turned full circle because on Wednesday night, I was on CF99 discussing the current situation in the middle east. It's my 4th visit to the CF99 set in the heart of the Welsh Assembly building in Cardiff Bay. I've also been a panellist for the party on 2 occasions on 'Pawb A'i Farn' (the Welsh equivalent to Question Time) and have made countless appearances on the live Radio Cymru Friday afternoon political slot 'Dau O'r Bae'. Like with anything in life, I've had good media and days and not so good media days. I suppose it goes with the territory.

Well I classify my own performance on Wednesday night as belonging to the former category. But for those who can't understand the language of heaven, I'll comment briefly on what was said in the clips above, here in writing. Alongside Plaid Cymru's Heledd Fychan and former ITV Wales political columnist Gareth Hughes, I was the target being shot at as the first discussion revolved around the Welsh Liberal Democrat party's chances in the up-coming Welsh Assembly elections in May. I gave what I felt was a good, solid performance in rebutting the attacks and I went on the offensive more than is sometimes the case. I spoke of record numbers having pre-registered for our Welsh conference in a week's time, fought back against Gareth's unjust comments about our excellent leader Kirsty Williams and reminded Heledd Fychan that she shouldn't be chastising the current Westminster-based coalition government for not following through with the enirety of their mutual manifestos when Plaid Cymru themselves didn't do so when they entered a coalition with Labour in Cardiff Bay in 2007 - what did happen to that Plaid promise of giving every schoolchild a laptop?

The second half saw a swap as Gareth Hughes was subbed for Stephen Thomas who is an expert in middle eastern matters. Again, I gave what I hope was seen as being an honest and thoughtful response to the escalating problems currently occurring in Libya and across the arabic states more generally. I bemoaned the UN's willingness to only write of its grave concerns because what good will warm words on a piece of paper do for the people on the streets of Libya right now? I also spoke of the west's often two faced stance when calling for democracy and then disowning the result when it doesn't go their way as was the case with Hamas' victory in he Gaza Strip. I also commented that our propensity to sell arms to these Arab states doesn't help us when we're trying to speak from the moral high ground.

All in all, I've had good feedback from friends about my performance so I'm happier than normal to show it once again, here on my blog via the BBC iPlayer service!

Labour's Leighton Andrews' Extraordinary Live TV Coco Pops Outburst

It was quite an astonishing live media outburst from the Labour Welsh Education Minister during yesterday's Welsh Labour Party conference in Llandudno.

Wind forward on the BBC iPlayer link here http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/z1c7n/ to 54 minutes and you will see a visibly angry Education Minister lambasting BBC political journalist Aled ap Dafydd when he challenged the Minister on Labour's free school breakfasts policy when Wales ranks so low in a league table of reading assessments.

The key extracts...

Aled ap Dafydd: "You're giving coco pops to kids for breakfast, for free, that's something that parents might want, they might welcome that, but more importantly I suppose to parents will be the assessments when it comes to reading for example...

Leighton Andrews: "I really object to your snooty, middle-class attack on our free breakfast scheme. That is a disgrace. A thousand schools in Wales are pursuing our free breakfast scheme and you talk about coco pops - you are a disgrace to the BBC. This is a policy that has been really popular across the whole of Wales...

Aled ap Dafydd: "I am not doubting it's popularity, I am doubting where does it compare to reading assessments where Wales are ranked 38th out of about 60 countries. Shouldn't the priority be based on educational attainment rather than giving free breakfasts to kids?".

Did Aled touch a nerve there Leighton?

Leighton Andrews has a rather combustible reputation at the best of times but this nevertheless was quite an extraordinary outburst.

Yes this is a popular scheme, but as Aled was alluding too, spending per head of pupil in Wales is some £604 less than it is in England (£5,595 in Wales as opposed to £6,199 in England). This isn't good enough and I get the feeling from looking at Leighton's body language during this interview that he was not at all happy at this raw point being made so close to the Assembly elections. Linking it to the free breakfasts saw him lose his cool entirely.

Full marks to Aled ap Dafydd for keeping his cool having been on the receiving end of such a verbal tirade.

A Dedicated Follower of Fashion...
A little addenum - it looks as if our Education Minister is seeking to try out a new line in fashion. His suit jacket with shirt and tie crossed with jeans combination look could catch on.

But personally, I don't think it's for me.

The Cole Family's Royal Connection

Last Tuesday, I was delighted to get on a bus to Windsor with friends and family for what was a pretty special day out.

In a twist on the Dick Whittington story, we all went to see the formal debut of our family horse Dyfed Celt as a member of the Queen's Household Cavalry.

As a family, Shire Horses are in the blood. My grandfather John Rees Lewis (or J.R as he was known) worked the land at Carnhuan, Eglwyswrw, with the Shires and latterly showed them with help up until his death in 1991. Our family, not wanting to sell his wonderful legacy, decided to diversify and open the farm to the public as the Dyfed Shire Horse Farm in 1994. We've sold horses to Germany and to the USA over the years, but never, until now, to the Royal Family.

It seems like an age ago when the BBC Wales cameras reported on Celt's new adventure in London, away from his Eglwyswrw home in west Wales.

Now, exactly 2 years later, we've gone full circle.

Eglwyswrw to London
As the report above shows, we as a family saw an advertisement for a Drum Horse in the Heavy Horse World and got in touch with the powers that be.

For only a young 3 year old, we knew his attitude and tempremant would be what was required. We weren't disappointed when the offer was made to purchase him for the Household Cavalry.

But that didn't mean that he'd make the grade and for the past 2 years he's been living in the underground Kensington Barracks in London and grazing in Hyde Park whilst undertaking the training required for him to be officially welcomed into the Cavalry.

The regiment have been excellent in communicating with us Celt's progress and last summer, the family and friends had a bus trip to Kensington to see Celt in his new surroundings. I was unfortunately unable to make it - being on holiday in France at the time.

Windsor & the Emir of Qatar
So I was really pleased to have a second opportunity this week to have a trip to the bigger smoke to see Celt at work. Now, 2 years on, it wasn't just a matter of seeing him in training, but actually seeing him in action.

The Emir of Qatar and his entourage were due to arrive on an official visit and were to be met by the Queen, Prince Phillip and the family.

We arrived in good time and found a place en-route just a 100 or so yards from the main welcoming platform. In the light drizzle, some 50 of us waited attentively for the star of the day to arrive - no, not the Emir or the Queen, but Celt!

See here a slideshow of photos taken by BBC Berkshire of the day and in particular, photo 6 of our gang, manning the barricades!  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-11630223 As the caption says, the bus left west Wales at around 4am - but I think the locals must've been bemused as to why we were there in the first place!

The reason arrived at the head of the procession just after 11am. Celt, 2nd in line of some 200 horses of the Household Cavalry, passed us in his full regalia, carrying those solid silver drums and the musician on top.

He behaved very well throughout the short welcoming ceremony and we could see him in the distance, at the heart of the action, as the respective anthems were played.

The Household Cavalry's Mounted Regiment Training Wing
We were then fortunate enough to be given a tour around Celt's home for the day at the regiments' near-by training wing. There, we saw him back in the stable after the exertions of his day out on formal parade.

We were told that this was the Queen's first opportunity to see him in action and in a matter of days it is expected, we shall hopefully find out what his new formal, Roman name will be. His stable name however will remain Dyfed Celt which will remind all of his roots. He will also be given the rank of a Major - not bad going for a West Walian!

He will next be on parade at the Lord Mayor's Parade in London in a few weeks time and next year there's a very good chance that he'll be on Horseguards Parade in the Trooping of the Colour.

It really was great to see one of our family's horses taking his place, centre stage, in the Queen's Household Cavalry. It was great in addition, that this was witnessed by a wide community of family and friends who had willingly paid the £20 coach fare and got up ridiculously early, to see a real 'one-off' occasion in the flesh.

More Media Coverage
Just as before when he left for the bright lights of the city, the Welsh media have again been enthusiastic in their interest of Celt's progress.

S4C's 'Ffermio' programme recorded the proceedings and will be transmitting the footage this coming Monday at 8.25pm. Meanwhile, my oldest brother Huw, who did a great job in organising the trip, went live on BBC Radio Wales' Jamie Owen and Louise Elliott programme on Wednesday morning. This clip on iplayer is only retrieveable for the next few days. Wind forward to 2:30:30 for an 8 minute interview with Huw.

It's a lovely story and one, that as a family and a community, we are rightly very proud.

Conference Blog: Day 4 (Monday)

We've been in government now for just over 4 months. In a way, we've got used to this very quickly. As a party and as members we've had to get ourselves into this new mindset and we have done so. So much so in fact, that, and particularly to newer members who know little else, we almost take the fact that we're in this position with a pinch of salt and just get on with it. But, taking a step back, yesterday was actually an incredibly historic day for our party. Monday 21st September 2010 was the day that Nick Clegg MP, Liberal Democrat leader, first addressed his conference as the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdon of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Really? After all these years of opposition, of mergers, of false dawns and dashed hopes, we're actually there. In goverment. In control. It really is an amazing thing.

Morning Media Mayhem!
I got up early at 6.40am to get to the media centre in the Echo Arena to hive a few interviews on Welsh Radio. On arriving I realised that I'd left my security badge back in the hotel room but thought that they'd probably be relaxed enough about it and just let me in. Not now that we're in government! All change! I had to dash back to the hotel, then dash back knowing full well that I may now miss the live slot. As it happens, when I came dashing into the media centre, Oliver Hides the Radio Wales presenter was introducing the package on the Lib Dem conference and Jenny Randerson AM who was being interviewd with me, frantically pointed in my direction behing Oliver's back to let him know that I was in the building! He was barely 30 odd seconds away from introudcing us when I took my seat! Never a dull moment! The interview went well and at 7.45am I repeated it with another in Welsh for Radio Cymru alongside Myrddin Edwards.

Academies Bill & the West Lothian Question
After a break back in the hotel, I made my way back to the conference centre and sat in on an excellent debate in the main hall about the Academies Bill. The party are against the policy and there's much discontent that the coalition have moved ahead on this issue even though it wasn't in the coalition agreement. So it was an unsurprisingly lively affair and I was rather pleased that the 'rebels' won and voted down what was seen by many as a 'wrecking amendment' put forward by the leadership. The motion was passed comfortably to the approval of many there. It certainly proves that conference can be as awkward as ever!
I actually decided not to use my vote at the end of the debate as the Academies Bill is only applicable to England and not Wales due to devolution. So, in the light of the 'West Lothian Question', I felt it right that I don't interfere as a Welsh member in a matter that only involves England. After all, I wouldn't want the English telling me what to do!

Kirsty Williams

We then had a barnstorming speech from Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams and we were all there as 'Welshies' to support her. It was very well received by conference and afterwards I was told by our media man Richard Thomas that her reference to Richard Livsey in her speech as a 'gently giant' came directly from my blog post that gave him that name. I was pleasantly surprised and pleased to have played a small part then, in what was an excellent performance by our Kirsty.

Lib Dem MP Bingo!

A gang of us decided on lunch at the Albert Docks and whilst we waited for our food, we decided to test oursevles on how many of the 57 Lib Dem MPs we could name without the aid of google or wikipedia. We actually did very well and named about 52/53 of them. I then decided to use this information and play 'Lib Dem MP Bingo' to see how many of thoe 57 I could spot in conference! I've spotted a good few of them in previous days of course but for the remainder of conference, I'm making a particular effort of keeping an eye out for those I have yet to see. I suddenly took great delight during the afternoon when I spotted such MPs as David Heath, Malcolm Bruce, Mark Hunter and John Leetch simply because it meant I could cross them off my list! I'm currently on 35 and would hope to extend that into the 40's before the end of play on Wednesday!

The Main Event - Nick Clegg's Speech
I've been to plenty of conferences in the past to know that you need to get your seat in early for the leaders speech.We arrived in good time yesterday but already the auditorium was filling up. It wasn't long, when, to my amazement, the whole room was full. In 15 UK-wide conferences, I have never seen delegates being turned away from the auditorium because there's no room left! Instead, they used an 'over-flow' room with a live link for other delegates to watch Nick's speech. I gather that even that was over half full!

So, indeed, here we were listening to the Deputy Prime Minister address us as our leader. We really have come a long way as liberals over the years.
His speech was surprisingly short at a little over 35 minutes (Charles Kennedy's speeches used to last for 50 minutes to an hour). But I thought it was a very well crafted affair and went down well with delegates in the hall. One of the biggest rounds of applause came when he reminded conference that the new coaltion goverment is scrapping ID cards - damned right! He also got a good yelp of approval when he maintained that the Iraq war was illegal. So it was a good speech and there's no doubt in my mind at least that it was well received by the members.

Socialising
After changing into my evening attire back in the hotel, the rest of the day went by in a relaxed manner with the only desire being one of catching up with old friends around the conference bar (and tracking more faces to cross off on my Lib Dem MP Bingo of course!). After a very nice reception given by Park Printers, we went to the annual official Welsh Lib Dem Night at the Cornmarket in the city centre where I gave another clip (but this time pre-recorded) for Radio Cymru. I bumped into one of our Ceredigion supporters Kathy Bracy who was with friends in the city for a PCS Union gathering. It was good to catch up with them during the evening.


The Randomness of Lib Dem Conferences (No.1)
I do enjoy the quirky occurrences that often happen in Lib Dem conferences and the people you meet who have random associations with others! Well, back at the conference bar in the Jury Inn last night was no exception. I found myself talking for some time to a pleasant enough chap from Portsmouth. It turns out that his uncle was Ray Crawford who was a member of the Ipswich team that won the league title under Alf Ramsey in 1962, won 2 English Caps and scored 2 of the goals in the giant-killing FA Cup shock of 1971, when, now playing for Colchester, they beat Don Revie's Leeds United 3-2! I must admit, it tickled me!

I also had a real in depth conversation with a really nice guy about faith and human motivation. He's a Hindu and he had what I thought was an excellent outlook on life, despite having had some tough life experiences to deal with including losing his mother when he was just 18.

It was also great to catch up with Rhiannon Wadeson again in the conference bar and to remind ourselves of our fantastic birthday trip in Latvia back in 2008!

It's the mixture of the surreal and the profound which we find at conference like this that just makes it so unmissable!

The Randomness of Lib Dem Conferences (No.2)
I had the interesting experience also, after the Nick Clegg speech, of bumping into the Times journalists Daniel Finkelstein and Matthew Parris in the hotel lift and then at the conference bar in the evening, I bumped into Tory MP Nigel Evans in the toilets. These really are bizzare times in which we live!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11382182

Revenge on McDonalds
The bar finished relatively early I felt and before we knew it we were the last there (quite a fete in itself!). So an eclectic group of 5 of us decided to walk down to the nearby McDonalds for a 'drive-thru' early breakfast. With it being just a few hundred yards away for where I'm staying, this seemed ideal. So we walked into the drive-thru to make our order. There we were confronted by a rather embarassed young man who told us that he couldn't serve us. The reason? We weren't in a motorised vehicle! Apparently, on health and safety ground he couldn't serve us as the drive-thru was for those in 4 wheels only and not on two feet! We tried to make him realise that at 5.30am, there was no real danger of us being run over by an errant car whilst being served by him - but he stood his ground! He did seem pretty embarassed at the fact that he wasn't able to take our money for an order because of this technicality but not to worry, we had a cunning plan!

Nick Love decided to go to the main road and hail down a taxi. On doing so, we all went around the corner from the drive-thru jumped into the aforementioned taxi, drove back through the drive-thru, and ordered our meals from a dumbfounded young man! For the sake of paying the taxi driver the cost of driving through the drive-thru, it was worth it for the 5 of us just to get the reaction from the McDonalds staff!

Suffice to say the actual food itself was pretty hopeless, so with our hotel breakfast bar nearly open, Nick and I decided to wait until 6am to get a proper breakfast, before going to bed!

A historic day came to an end then with a characteristic liberal rebellion against authority!