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.

We Lib Dems may dislike the Tories but Labour can *add expletive* right off

It's a bold, sweeping heading for a blog post if ever I've written one but after another tumultuous week for Lib Dem Ministers, some 'end of year' Coalition considerations must be made.

Torygraph 'Sting'
Over the past few days, Lib Dem Ministers have all found themselves at the end of what has basically been an entrapment process by the Daily Torgraph. The ethics and the legality of what this newspaper has done lies on extremly thin ice (sorry, seasonal pun intended) and could be challenged in the courts. But be that as it may, the repercussions of the so called 'revelations' must be dealt with.

Lib Dems don't like Tories - Shock Horror!
What we have heard have been rather frank, apparently 'off-record' murmurings of discontent from Lib Dem Ministers about their Tory coalition partners.

Well don't be surprised! In what has been an incredible year in British politics, we now find ourselves being governed by a full-blown coalition for the first time in 65 years. These things don't happen every day of the week and the implementation of such an arrangement between erstwhile political foes is bound to throw up many discontents.

What we've heard this week in the main has been a personal uneasiness between Lib Dem Ministers and Conservative colleagues who were until last May, sworn political enemies. Crossing the rubicon and working together as has been done in the public interest won't dispel these tensions overnight. Tensions will remain and so they should. For this is a coalition made up of two sovereign parties, both of whom have their own distinct agendas and ideas on how to best run the country. But neither won the election in May and so had to accept that working together in the spirit of compromise was the grown-up way forward.

Tories don't like Lib Dems? You can bet on it!

What we have heard this week of course are the Lib Dem 'discontents' on being a part of this practical process. But what the Daily Torygraph have decided against doing is shining a mirror against the Tory Ministers in the Government to see how they view this political arrangement. Because the truth of the matter is they won't be happy with it either and why should they?! Before the election they accused the Lib Dems of being a 3rd party irrelevance but now, they've had to share power with us and tht sits very uneasily with the right-wing of the Tory Party in particular.

It's the knowing that these grumblings are occurring underneath the Tory surface which makes us Lib Dems know that we're doing something right. Indeed, knowing that our Ministers have these deeply held reservations about their Tory colleagues gives us at the grass-roots level a confidence that they are doing all that they can to push Lib Dem influence to the max in their respective departments.

Vince Cable however, went to far. As much as I and most Lib Dem members would've been pleased to hear him speak of a 'war' against Rupert Murdoch, his comments were ill-judged because of the quasi-judicial role in which he found himself. In 'Council code of conduct' speak, he pre-determined himself and it was right that the decision on Murdoch's take over of BSkyB was taken away from him. It's a shame but the right thing to do all the same even though I share Vince's sentiments.

Rank Labour Hypocrisy
But despite this Lib Dem discontent, it is a boring matter of fact that we are doing what is best for the country in working together with the Conservatives to put the country back on the right track.

Ed Miliband's comments yesterday on launching a scheme inviting young people to join Labour for a penny, in a recruitment drive designed to attract disillusioned former Lib Dem supporters, was pathetic. He also extended an olive branch to Lib Dem ministers unhappy with the government's direction, saying he would "welcome" them on the Labour benches.

Is he stupid or something? As much as we don't find working with the Conservatives a bed of roses, at least they had the balls to come together with the Lib Dems to work in the national interest. The Tories could've stuck it out and led a minority-government, called a snap election for this autumn and could well have won a majority themselves as did Wilson for Labour in '74. But they, like the Lib Dems decided to put party rancour aside to put the country back on a more stable footing.

Labour refused to play ball. They refused to be constructive when the time for talking arrived. They refused to be pro-active in offering a non-Tory government alternative. They refused to admit that they had to accept much of the blame for the financial mess that they left the country in. They refused to take responsibility for their actions and were willing, indeed keen, to go back into opposition for their own party political benefit.

Such a reprehensible attitude towards the greater good has severely damaged their reputation with the Lib Dem grass-roots and now, Ed Miliband wants US, Lib Dems to join back with Labour? Is he completely insane? Me, a Lib Dem, to join a party that reneged on the top priority facing all politicians - the well-being of our country? A party that has such a 'clean-slate' of policies that what it adds up too is having no policies at all? A party that destroyed our civil liberties when in government? A progressive party?! Ha! No chance!

Making a Liberal Difference to the Government of the United Kingdom
The Lib Dem MP for Torbay, Adrian Sanders has put down in writing his own observations on the siutation in his blog here. He gives his own insiders view of the problems that we face as a maturing, grown-up party of government.

What particularly strikes true to me though is his comments about better promoting the message of what Lib Dems in government are delivering. He states:

"When constituents and others complain to me about putting the Tories in power I ask them to imagine a Conservative Government retaining a 50p top rate of tax, introducing an increase in capital gains tax, implementing a bank levy to fund child tax credits for poorer families, taking the lowest paid out of income tax altogether, extending the national minimum wage to include apprentices and reducing the age at which the full NMW is paid, increasing the number of social housing allocations above those of the previous Labour Government, establishing a pupil premium to increase the funding for pupils in poorer areas, investing £900 million to reduce tax evasion and amend legal loopholes that allow for tax avoidance, proposing a £140 minimum state pension, setting up a Green Investment Bank, moving towards a House of Lords elected by PR, agreeing to a fixed term Parliament and much, much more.

"And before they can say tuition fees I ask them would a Tory Government have agreed to a fee cap?

"Would they have introduced measures where all students will repay less per month under this Government’s policy than they currently pay? Where the lowest earning 25% of graduates will repay less than they do now? Where the top earning 30% of graduates will pay back more than they borrow and are likely to pay more than double the bottom 20% of earners? Where over half a million students will be eligible for more non-repayable grants for living costs than they get now? Where almost one million students will be eligible for more overall maintenance support than they get now? Where part-time students will no longer have to pay upfront fees benefiting up to 200,000 per year? Where there will be an extra £150m for a new National Scholarship Programme for students from poorer backgrounds and tough new sanctions on universities who fail to improve their access to students from such backgrounds?

"There is so much positive policy and influence to promote, but we can’t get it across to the electorate unless we can show how we made the difference. Getting this information out and understood is part of a giant task that now confronts us to rebuild trust with voters who feel we have let them down, or worse betrayed them".

His final point is key - getting that message out. Because there's no doubt that this Government has a real liberal streak running through it that would not have existed under a purely Conservative alternative or indeed, a continuation of the Labour farce that preceded it.

We need to tell the world and it's dog what we're doing and how we're influencing government policy with those of our own. We may not like the Tories, but the country is in damned better shape for having us in the middle of government with them that if the they or Labour were left in charge on their own.

So here is one Liberal Democrat member who laughs in the sorry face of Ed Miliband. As I mentioned in my blog post here when he was elected leader, Labour made a big mistake in choosing Ed over David. I agree with my sentiments then, even more today.

Conference Blog: Day 6 (Wednesday - Goodbye)

The last day of a conference has always felt like a wake for me. After days of enjoyment in great company and contributing to the future well-being of my party, it really is a sad feeling to have to tear myself away from what I see as my extended family.

Vince Cable
The day began with the obligatory packing which automatically puts you into 'Goodbye' mode. After leaving my bags in the hotel storage, I made my way to the conference auditorium in the Echo Arena for the final time to hear Vince Cable's key note speech as Secretary of State for Business.

Vince gave a sharp, sombre but very well received oration which brought the conference to an excellent conclusion.

In fact, the conference continued until 4pm but I was to leave at lunchtime to get back home in good time. So Vince Cable's speech was my final piece of the action in Liverpool '10 and it was a good way to leave it. I then bought a few books at the Lib Dem History Group stand before a final walk around the Jury Inn conference bar to say my goodbyes. In particular, I bumped into the Chief Executive of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Martin Haymer and the Leader of Portsmouth City Council Gerald Vernon-Jackson.

Lib Dem MP Bingo
As I left, I noticed two more MPs who had avaded me throughout the week. This brought my 'Lib Dem MP Bingo' final tally to what I think is a very respectable 46 out of 57. For the record, the 11 MPs I did not see during the conference week were Stephen Williams, Don Foster, David Laws, Gordon Birtwistle, David Ward, Charles Kennedy, John Thurso, Robin Smith, Mike Hancock, Mike Crockart and Adrian Sanders. Of these, I know that Don Foster was there - indeed he was to give a speech to conference after I left. Charles Kennedy had also been spotted at conference early on. Gordon Birtwistle, David Ward and Mike Crockart were probably there but as new MPs, I don't know what they look like! I'm pretty sure I saw John Thurso but if it was him then he's shaven off his moustache which threw me. The only MPs which I gather definitely did not make conference this year were Stephen Williams, Mike Hanock and David Laws.

But the moral of the story is? To do it again next year! It's nothing other than an interesting side-line during the course of the week!

Goodbye to an excellent conference
So we set off at 1.30pm and so, sadly, came to an end what I would say is one of the best conference I've been too. It was bigger, more professional and of course attracted more attention from the outside world. Being in Government suddenly made it a totally different beast and we'll be getting used to it over the next few years. It was all very accessible and the weather even improved as the week went on.

As for Liverpool - I was greatly impressed (I should be, it's run by a Lib Dem council!). The problem with conference is that there's so much to do, you're always in that bubble for the duration of the gathering. As a result I didn't have time to get around to see Liverpool properly. But I'd be keen to go back and spend some days there to see it all properly. I'm sure that I speak for many who were this week who would be very happy if conference were to go back to Liverpool in the future.

But what makes the conference most of all for me and what therefore by definition makes it so difficult to leave, is the bumping into old and making new friends there. The next conference is a weekend affair in Sheffield in March before the autumn gathering this time next year in Birmingham. It's very likely that I won't see many of the faces that I saw during these past 6 days for 12 months. It's a sad thought but then, in a way, it's what makes conference such an enjoyable experience.

If we had it every month it would lose its charm and would destory the bank balance so it's probably right that we hold them as regularly as we do...probably!

The 2010 Liverpool Liberal Democrat Conference has come and gone and will now form a part of my memory bank of happy recollections of conferences past.

Now it's time to sleep.

Conference Blog: Day 2 (Saturday)

It's been wet in Liverpool so far. In fact, I was taking to one of our students Richard Morgan-Ash last night and he said that in his recollections, he can't remember a wet autumn conference. Come to think of it, in the 7 odd years I've been conferencing, neither can I. Hopefully the weather will improve.

Yesterday was a good day though. A slow morning got going as we checked into conference and found our barings around the massive Echo Arena.

Security
As we'd been warned, security here is much more intrusive than normal but we've just got to make do with it. The knack is to plan ahead and make sure you're in the arena comfortably before the debate you want to see starts - easier said than done! During one of my forays through security yesterday, I happened to find myself behind former Richmond Park MP and Lib Dem Presidential candidate Susan Kramer. On being frisked by the staff, Susan swept up her arms and gave me a good whack in the face! Possibly my come-uppance for backing Tim Farron MP in the contest!

Conference Launch
After a decent (but not hugely spectacular) lunch in the (absolutely spectacular) Albert Docks, I made my way over to the conference hall for the official opening of conference at 2.30pm. Baroness Walmsley made the opening and we then had some rather dry but neccesary reports to conference by the conference and policy committees. There was a decent number in the hall at that time although I had expected more for the opening even if it is merely a ceremonial affair.

Tim Farron 4 President!
An excellent piece of planning for this conference is that the conference hotel, the Jury Inn, is literally about 200 yards from the entrance to the Echo Arena. So there's much to-ing and fro-ing between the two as delegates go back and forth to training events or fringe meetings.

I went in mid-way through to Tim Farron's 'Westmorland & Lonsdale' training event which was well attended. From behind me I heard a question being asked by a recognisable voice. I turned round and there was the face of a very kind gentleman who has helped us out in Ceredigion on a few occasions 5 or so years ago. I caught up with him afterwards to say hello but I'm damned if I can remember his name!

We then had a gathering of Tim Farron supporters in a quiet nook of the conference bar for a pep-talk by the man himself on the launch of his Presidential bid. Tim really is an excellent and inspiring speaker and the 25-30 of us there were well psyched for the nominations signing and sticker stickings over the days ahead.

Indeed, just like with Ros Scott's successful campaign 2 years ago when conference was plastered in delegates wearing her campaign sticker ('I'm 4 Ros' I think it was), this conference has already taken on a distinctly 'Tim to Win' feel.

Rally
The rally which was being led by the Electoral Reform Society was packed out and inspired us all to go out and campaign for a positive 'YES' vote in next year's AV Referendum. Art Malik was excellent and highly amusing as compare and we had some excellent speeches. Notably for me, it was good to see former MP Martin Bell there weighing in with his support. I bought his autobiography 'An Accidental MP' many years ago and have always been a fan. Jo Swinson was unsurprisingly excellent and very infectious with her enthusiasm and then, Tim Farron appeared once more as a (very very very) last minute replacement for Charles Kennedy. As ever, he almost stole the show (but then maybe I'm being biased here!).

Finally, Nick Clegg spoke very well in that laid back, relaxed conference style of his and brought the rally to a close. The fireworks that marked the end of the rally was quite surreal - we're clearly now a party of government!

Fringe Troughing
Once a student, always a student as they say. So when we were given the nod by Cardiff's Rachael Hitchinson that Liberal Youth had a fringe event with free food and wine, we made a quick dash back to the Jury Inn to get in there quick. We were successful and indeed listened to an excellent fringe about HE Funding with Vince Cable, the main man on the panel. It finished with Q&As and an excellent question by a 14 year old school pupil - I'd never have had the guts to ask a Secretary of State a question in front of over 50 people when I was that age!

Lib Dem BOTY Awards
I've made a concerted attempt over recent weeks to get my blog 'up-and-active' and as a result, was keen to go, for the first time, to the Lib Dem 'Blog of the Year' Awards ceremony. I was interested to see the faces behind many of the names in the Lib Dem blogosphere and it was great to see such a diverse and eclectic bunch! It certainly made me feel as if 'I'm not alone' out here, blogging away! Congratulations to the winners of the 2010 BOTYs and particularly to Millennium Elephant for winning blog of the year! Hopefully the curse won't strike again and they'll all continue blogging into 2011!

Conference Bar
If Friday night was a calm, quiet affair, last night was anything but! As expected, most conference delegates arrived during the day and their presence was felt in an over-flowing conference bar. It was great to bump into a number of faces from around the country I was hoping to see. The York contingent were out in force with Nick Love, Billi Williams and the English Mark Cole (aka Tom Holvey) and it was good to see the likes of Sam Potts, Marie Jenkins, Mike and Veronica German, Amy Kitcher, Kev O'Connor and Bob Griffin there too.

An absolutely incredible development transpired during the late evening at the bar. As an over-flow mechanism, there's a smaller additional bar and they serve what I can only presume is a local beer called 'Cains'. Unbelievably, you can get a pint of it for just £2.45. That's 2 pints for a £5! It's unheard of generally nowadays but in a conference bar?! It's even nice to drink! Incredible!

I left the bar around 2.30am and there were still plenty there in my wake, soaking up the pretty unique atmosphere that is a Liberal Democrats conference bar in the early hours!

Conference has very much, 'come alive' now and it should be an excellent next few days ahead.