Friday 3 September 2010

Conference season

If it's September, it must be party conference season.

For me this generally means work, as I'm paid by my political party to administer the training courses the Liberal Democrats run for our members at conference. This year, in Liverpool, that's 118 courses - not as many as the 150+ that we ran last autumn, but still a sizeable amount of training.

However, this year, for the first time in years, I'll also be registering to attend as a voting representative. I don't normally do this, as I have so little time to spend in the conference hall.

But this year I've signed an amendment to a motion, on Free Schools and Academies (on P32 of the agenda). The amendment is being submitted for consideration by the party's Conference Committee, and I've agreed to sum up the debate on it if the amendment is accepted on to the agenda. If it is, it'll be interesting to be up against Peter Downes, former headmaster of Hinchingbrooke, who will be proposing the original motion.

David and Goliath

I'm intrigued that Samuel Brakespeare, veteran diarist at the Cambs Times, seems surprised that local Liberal Democrats aren't awash with cash.

Our leaflets and newsletters wouldn't ask for donations if we didn't need them. Elections are expensive things to fight, and unlike the Conservatives we don't have wealthy backers or vast amounts of councillors' allowances to call on, or the might of the 'Con Clubs' or portfolios of investments.

Next May's local elections really will be a David and Goliath affair. I'm hoping David manages to land at least a few hits!

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