Thanks to the generous help of the local party in the Derbyshire Dales, I was able to attend my first Conference earlier this month. Since first taking an interest in politics in Sixth Form, I seem to have made steady progress in terms of involvement. From attending local party meetings to appearing in the audience of Question Time in Derby, I felt ready to attend my first Conference (although University dates meant that attending the Autumn 2011 Conference was tricky, I felt that I had missed out). Asking for directions to the Premier Inn allowed me to hear the delightful Geordie accent, and it felt great (but touristy, I confess) to take a detour past St James’ Park (heritage and common sense prevents me from calling it by its newly branded name). I was fortunate to be guided around the Conference by the East Midlands Vice-Chair Craig Day, who was also very helpful in introducing me to people (I don’t think my standard “which football team do you support?” question would have gone down well). I was at a local government fringe meeting when the sandal-wearing stereotype of Lib Dems was partially confirmed; he was wearing socks too, and yes he did have a beard! To my considerable surprise, Nick Clegg walked in to the room.
Clegg had the task of presenting various awards at the event (full credit to everyone at the event; the time was pushing 11pm on a Friday evening), and when it ended I sensed my opportunity. With one of Craig’s friends knowing Clegg, I was introduced to the Deputy Prime Minister. Having arrived in Newcastle with the optimistic hope of merely seeing him close up over the weekend, to meet him on the first night was a real coup. As many people will agree, it’s strange seeing people from television up close, and he was taller than I expected (taller than my 6 foot 1 frame). After a handshake, I introduced myself as a student from the University of Manchester, and surprised him by answering his membership question by saying that I had become a member just after the 2010 General Election. He gave me a pat on the shoulder and a laugh of “thanks for sticking with us”, no doubt surprised that a student (and still a teenager) would still be supporting the Liberal Democrats! I exchanged a few more pleasantries with him (“ah the Dales; not far from me”, “yes I know John (Leech); Manchester Withington”), before bidding him goodnight. He was personable and he listened, but I didn’t want to keep him too long (and neither did his PA!). For a man under pressure, I think he looked at ease at the event (despite the approaching midnight chimes); he probably appreciated a relaxed atmosphere amongst fellow Liberals, along with a much earned glass of wine. Happy with a productive first day, I headed back to the hotel over the picturesque Tyne.
The Sage in Gateshead was a wonderful venue for the Conference, and it was refreshing to see MPs and Party bigwigs socialising and mixing with Conference members in the halls. When attending a policy motion on various Party constitutional matters, I admired the conviction and passion with which various speakers delivered their amendments and motions, and the candour they related to the audience. I was treated to a dose of political wisdom from Vince Cable’s speech, with a reassuring commitment for the Government to play a positive (but not overbearing) role in providing recovery and growth to the economy, themes which have been addressed in this blog in the past. With skilful placement from Craig and Chris in the main hall, we were able to get near front-row seats for the following Q and A session with Nick Clegg. I had no cast-iron intentions of asking a question, but when the topic revolved around a quicker raising of the income tax threshold to £10,000, I decided to plump for a question; haven spoken of my desire to raise the threshold even higher in this blog, who better to ask than the leader of the Liberal Democrats? Surprised that he pointed to my outstretched hand, I felt slightly nervous but calm as the microphone was passed down the row to me. As I stood up, I re-introduced myself to Clegg with the line “Hello, I’m Ben; I’m from the Derbyshire Dales”. I briefly turned to the numerous conference members and said “I’m sure we can all agree that raising the income tax threshold to £10,000 has been a brilliant achievement...” “We’re not there yet!” interjected Clegg. Feeling more at ease, I said “however, what’s the possibility or likelihood of raising the threshold to £12,500, which would take everyone on the minimum wage out of income tax, in the 2015 Lib Dem Manifesto?” To my surprise again, the whole Conference hall clapped my question, giving me an immense sense of satisfaction. As a good communicator, Clegg was consistent in addressing both me directly and the audience; his answer was very pragmatic and realistic, saying “we need to walk before we run”, and stating that raising the threshold to £10,000 will cost billions of pounds, but it was a fair answer that I nodded in agreement to, understanding the realism which often has to go with politics. It won’t stop me pressing for its inclusion in the coming years!
Other events in the day included me and Craig chasing after a meeting with Shirley Williams, who belied her age of 81 years and vanished before we could find her, and meeting Deputy Leader and MP of 29 years Simon Hughes. Having met him at the ‘Yes to AV’ launch in Manchester a year ago, he remembered the unseasonably good weather of that day in Castlefields. Staying true to the Centre-Left values of this blog (sorry Craig and Chris, I’m not an Orange Book Lib Dem!), I went to the interesting Social Liberal Forum, which had Vince Cable and Duncan Hames amongst its speakers.
The Saturday also showed the two contrasting elements of conflict. With the Health and Social Care Bill in its final stages, there was a lot of Union pressure at the Conference on the Lib Dems to kill the bill. Inevitably, a group of us with Conference ID badges attracted dissidents of the Bill. On the one hand, we had a calm and turn-taking debate on the Bill with a small group of people, and we were considerate of each other’s responses. On the other hand, groups of youths walked past with cries of “Lib Dem scum” and “you’re just a Tory too”, along with a man younger than me who was more interested in looking for a fight than looking for a political debate. It mattered not to the tribal youths that many Lib Dems (myself included) favoured the dropping of the Bill. I believe in pluralistic politics, and find a productive and considered debate with people who hold a different view point just as stimulating as a discussion with people who share the same opinion, but unfortunately you cannot reason with people who think that shouting the loudest within a group mentality is the best way to win an argument, and who aren’t prepared to listen.
The Saturday also showed the two contrasting elements of conflict. With the Health and Social Care Bill in its final stages, there was a lot of Union pressure at the Conference on the Lib Dems to kill the bill. Inevitably, a group of us with Conference ID badges attracted dissidents of the Bill. On the one hand, we had a calm and turn-taking debate on the Bill with a small group of people, and we were considerate of each other’s responses. On the other hand, groups of youths walked past with cries of “Lib Dem scum” and “you’re just a Tory too”, along with a man younger than me who was more interested in looking for a fight than looking for a political debate. It mattered not to the tribal youths that many Lib Dems (myself included) favoured the dropping of the Bill. I believe in pluralistic politics, and find a productive and considered debate with people who hold a different view point just as stimulating as a discussion with people who share the same opinion, but unfortunately you cannot reason with people who think that shouting the loudest within a group mentality is the best way to win an argument, and who aren’t prepared to listen.
Debates aside, Craig and Chris displayed their skill yet again in finding near-front row seats for Nick Clegg’s speech on the Sunday. Supporting a smaller Party in politics can leave members in desperate need of morale, especially when involved in a Coalition, but it was fair to say that Clegg’s speech left us leaving the Sage in higher spirits than when we entered it. Tough decisions are being made, but increasing the income tax threshold to £10,000, bringing in a big increase in State pensions, the Youth Contract, the Green Investment Bank, the Pupil Premium...all Progressive measures. The line that resonated with me in particular was this one: “Look at the electoral map: blue seats in the south, red ones in the north. Look at where the money comes from: trade unions on one side, City financiers on the other. That is why we can say today: the Liberal Democrats are the only true one nation party”
Not being in the throes of vested interests is one of the reasons I am proud to be a Liberal Democrat.
Returning home to Manchester, the Spring Conference gave me a real appetite for more. It felt refreshing to be part of the democratic process; what Party members vote on can ultimately become Party policy in the Liberal Democrats. It will also hopefully make me less apologetic for being a Liberal Democrat; being in Government often entails unpopularity (more so for junior Coalition partners), but there’s no need to apologise for bringing in 75% of the 2010 Lib Dem Manifesto in to the Coalition (compared with 60% of the Conservative Manifesto).
Not being in the throes of vested interests is one of the reasons I am proud to be a Liberal Democrat.
Returning home to Manchester, the Spring Conference gave me a real appetite for more. It felt refreshing to be part of the democratic process; what Party members vote on can ultimately become Party policy in the Liberal Democrats. It will also hopefully make me less apologetic for being a Liberal Democrat; being in Government often entails unpopularity (more so for junior Coalition partners), but there’s no need to apologise for bringing in 75% of the 2010 Lib Dem Manifesto in to the Coalition (compared with 60% of the Conservative Manifesto).
Of whatever political persuasion, I urge people to go to a Party Conference, if they can. It is an engaging and active way of becoming involved in politics and the affairs of your Party in particular, and if you want to challenge the Party on policy (sandals are optional), where better to do it than Conference, and who better to challenge than the policy makers themselves? I want to see the income tax threshold one day raised to £12,500 and beyond, but asking the Deputy Prime Minister about it is not a bad first step.
