Monday, September 20, 2004

Liberal Democrat Conference

Hello from Bournemouth.

I know that some people write lengthy entries about political conferences every day. I shall not be doing so. Mostly its laziness, but when you have been coming to these things for as long as I have you tend to spend most of the time meeting old friends and going for a drink or a meal. Therefore it is doubtful whether you experience of the week is of much relevance to anyone else.

The major talking point has been the rapid rise and fall of The Orange Book. As I said in a review in the current Liberator, it was a strangely timed publication. Surely things like that should come out shortly after a general election, not shortly before one?

The danger is that the row means that in future MPs will be scared to publish anything that breaks new ground. What the party really needs is lots more ideas, not even fewer.

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