Saturday, March 03, 2007
Conferencing
Rather than type this on the wicker chair in my front room, as is normally the case, I am at present on a wooden bucket chair in the Harrogate International Centre, in between sessions at the Lib Dems Spring Conference. I think I prefer the wicker. This isn't as gentle on my behind as I am used to...
We seem to be the only major party to bother with Spring conferences these days, and Harrogate is lovely at this time of year. Sadly I haven't seen much of it, because I have been in a number of exciting sessions. We have learned some interesting campaign techniques, and I made a special effort to go to a session on speaking in schools - hopefully if I ever get the chance to serve in Bury I can use my relative youth to try and enthuse other young people and get them involved in politics too. I also went to a talk at lunchtime by the leader of Milton Keynes Council and others about the future role of Councils as "place shapers," which again was very exciting as a way of showing how Lib Dems can make a real difference locally. The only disappointing element so far was my decision to rush out to M&S at lunchtime to buy a sandwich, only to discover on my breathles return that lunch was provided.
We arrived last night in time for the "We Can Cut Crime" rally, where speeches from Nick Clegg MP (our Shaadow Home Secretary) and Sir Menzies Campbell MP (Leader of the Lib Dems) were very well received and set the tone nicely for the conference. I must confess I missed the Trident debate today (I was in a training session at the time), although I heard it was quite explosive (ho ho...). I think the end result is the right one though. I was always on the side of the motion put forward, and having read the policy papers I think the amendment would have been a step too far.
Later on today I hope to get the chance to meet Nick Clegg and talk to hm about ways to cut crime. There are another few training sessions for me to choose from, as well as talks from all sorts of interesting people from local and national government, thinktanks and policy institutes. And then tonight we can let our hair down a little prior to Sir Ming's speech in the morning. ANd then it's home in time for leafletting, so I'm told. Which almost makes me want to stay...
Rick
We seem to be the only major party to bother with Spring conferences these days, and Harrogate is lovely at this time of year. Sadly I haven't seen much of it, because I have been in a number of exciting sessions. We have learned some interesting campaign techniques, and I made a special effort to go to a session on speaking in schools - hopefully if I ever get the chance to serve in Bury I can use my relative youth to try and enthuse other young people and get them involved in politics too. I also went to a talk at lunchtime by the leader of Milton Keynes Council and others about the future role of Councils as "place shapers," which again was very exciting as a way of showing how Lib Dems can make a real difference locally. The only disappointing element so far was my decision to rush out to M&S at lunchtime to buy a sandwich, only to discover on my breathles return that lunch was provided.
We arrived last night in time for the "We Can Cut Crime" rally, where speeches from Nick Clegg MP (our Shaadow Home Secretary) and Sir Menzies Campbell MP (Leader of the Lib Dems) were very well received and set the tone nicely for the conference. I must confess I missed the Trident debate today (I was in a training session at the time), although I heard it was quite explosive (ho ho...). I think the end result is the right one though. I was always on the side of the motion put forward, and having read the policy papers I think the amendment would have been a step too far.
Later on today I hope to get the chance to meet Nick Clegg and talk to hm about ways to cut crime. There are another few training sessions for me to choose from, as well as talks from all sorts of interesting people from local and national government, thinktanks and policy institutes. And then tonight we can let our hair down a little prior to Sir Ming's speech in the morning. ANd then it's home in time for leafletting, so I'm told. Which almost makes me want to stay...
Rick
# posted by Richard Baum @ 16:11 
