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| Lib Dems: Day Four at-a-glance | Lib Dems: Day Four at-a-glance |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| By Justin Parkinson and Gavin Stamp BBC News political reporters, in Bournemouth | By Justin Parkinson and Gavin Stamp BBC News political reporters, in Bournemouth |
| LOOK AHEAD | LOOK AHEAD |
| After all the excitement over tax, on Tuesday the conference looks at how to deal with the mortgage crisis and the rising rate of home repossessions. Transport, crime and European policy are the other main debates. | After all the excitement over tax, on Tuesday the conference looks at how to deal with the mortgage crisis and the rising rate of home repossessions. Transport, crime and European policy are the other main debates. |
| Huhne calls for better policing | Huhne calls for better policing |
| Councils 'need housing powers' | Councils 'need housing powers' |
| IT'S ONLY A FEW ZEROS | IT'S ONLY A FEW ZEROS |
| Confusion reigns supreme over Nick Clegg's interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. When asked how much the Lib Dems were offering in tax cuts, the leader was heard to say "millions". Presenter Ed Stourton corrected him. Surely he meant "billions". But party policy chief Danny Alexander told a press briefing that this intervention had been unnecessary. "Nick didn't make a slip-up on Today," he said. Mr Clegg had said "billions", but Mr Stourton had "misheard him". There you have it. | Confusion reigns supreme over Nick Clegg's interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. When asked how much the Lib Dems were offering in tax cuts, the leader was heard to say "millions". Presenter Ed Stourton corrected him. Surely he meant "billions". But party policy chief Danny Alexander told a press briefing that this intervention had been unnecessary. "Nick didn't make a slip-up on Today," he said. Mr Clegg had said "billions", but Mr Stourton had "misheard him". There you have it. |
| NATO CONCERNS | NATO CONCERNS |
| Rushing Nato membership for Georgia and Ukraine would be "madness", foreign affairs spokesman Ed Davey has said. He added that continued diplomacy would be the best approach to take to the crisis in the Caucasus. But he said Nato membership for the two countries could not be ruled out, providing they meet the "normal criteria", because to say otherwise would effectively be to give Russia a veto over who was allowed to join. | Rushing Nato membership for Georgia and Ukraine would be "madness", foreign affairs spokesman Ed Davey has said. He added that continued diplomacy would be the best approach to take to the crisis in the Caucasus. But he said Nato membership for the two countries could not be ruled out, providing they meet the "normal criteria", because to say otherwise would effectively be to give Russia a veto over who was allowed to join. |
| NO, DR BEECHING | NO, DR BEECHING |
| Transport spokesman Norman Baker has promised to reverse the work of Dr Beeching, the enemy of railway enthusiasts everywhere. He said train companies should be offered 30-year contracts, to ensure they invest more money in the network, re-opening some of the branch lines done away with by the doctor in the 1960s. Mr Baker also reiterated the party's commitment to extending the high-speed rail network, currently running to the Continent from London St Pancras. It should be connected to northern and England, taking in Heathrow Airport along the way, he argued. | Transport spokesman Norman Baker has promised to reverse the work of Dr Beeching, the enemy of railway enthusiasts everywhere. He said train companies should be offered 30-year contracts, to ensure they invest more money in the network, re-opening some of the branch lines done away with by the doctor in the 1960s. Mr Baker also reiterated the party's commitment to extending the high-speed rail network, currently running to the Continent from London St Pancras. It should be connected to northern and England, taking in Heathrow Airport along the way, he argued. |
| SEASIDE RUMBLE | SEASIDE RUMBLE |
| Torbay MP Adrian Sanders has apologised after a scuffle in which the Lib Dems' former communications chief Mark Littlewood was apparently knocked to the ground. He reportedly became incensed at a report by Mr Littlewood's Liberal Vision, suggesting that two-thirds of Lib Dem MPs faced the possibility of losing their seats at the next general election. No charges are to be brought, the party said. | Torbay MP Adrian Sanders has apologised after a scuffle in which the Lib Dems' former communications chief Mark Littlewood was apparently knocked to the ground. He reportedly became incensed at a report by Mr Littlewood's Liberal Vision, suggesting that two-thirds of Lib Dem MPs faced the possibility of losing their seats at the next general election. No charges are to be brought, the party said. |
| WHO WILL PICK OPIK? | WHO WILL PICK OPIK? |
| Lembit Opik's campaign to replace Simon Hughes as party president when he steps down later this year is gathering pace - or is it? Asked at a press briefing whether he had seen any of the "Ipik Opik" badges promoting the eccentric Montgomeryshire MP's bid, Lib Dem policy chief Danny Alexander said he had noticed "one or two". Home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne seemed bemused. "Have you?" he asked, with a mixture of laughter and horror spreading across his face. | Lembit Opik's campaign to replace Simon Hughes as party president when he steps down later this year is gathering pace - or is it? Asked at a press briefing whether he had seen any of the "Ipik Opik" badges promoting the eccentric Montgomeryshire MP's bid, Lib Dem policy chief Danny Alexander said he had noticed "one or two". Home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne seemed bemused. "Have you?" he asked, with a mixture of laughter and horror spreading across his face. |
| Here are Monday's highlights: | Here are Monday's highlights: |
| QUOTE OF THE DAY | QUOTE OF THE DAY |
| Custom dictates that I should make some jokes at his [Prime Minister Gordon Brown's] expense. But I have already done enough of that. I am not a sadist. I have no wish to kick a twitching corpse. | Custom dictates that I should make some jokes at his [Prime Minister Gordon Brown's] expense. But I have already done enough of that. I am not a sadist. I have no wish to kick a twitching corpse. |
| Vince Cable, Treasury spokesman | Vince Cable, Treasury spokesman |
| THE BIG ISSUE | THE BIG ISSUE |
| Tax was everywhere. Vince Cable was all over the media promoting his plans to cut the amount paid by low and middle earners. Despite the Treasury spokesman's near-messianic status among Lib Dem delegates, the debate was heated. Opponents portrayed the proposals - to be funded via Whitehall "efficiency savings" - as a means of cutting public services. The leadership was keen to emphasise that the policy was redistributive and that most of the money "saved" would be spent on other "priorities", such as better care for mental health patients, with the remainder going back to the public. The conference overwhelmingly backed the leadership, leaving the Lib Dems as the only one of the three main parties explicitly promising tax cuts. A few years ago, the policy was to raise income tax to fund better public services. Mr Cable argues that times have changed, with Labour imposing too high a burden on taxpayers, and that Lib Dems must change too. But some here are not happy. Convincing disgruntled Lib Dem supporters and selling his plans to the wider public looks like leader Nick Clegg's biggest challenge in the lead-up to the next general election. | Tax was everywhere. Vince Cable was all over the media promoting his plans to cut the amount paid by low and middle earners. Despite the Treasury spokesman's near-messianic status among Lib Dem delegates, the debate was heated. Opponents portrayed the proposals - to be funded via Whitehall "efficiency savings" - as a means of cutting public services. The leadership was keen to emphasise that the policy was redistributive and that most of the money "saved" would be spent on other "priorities", such as better care for mental health patients, with the remainder going back to the public. The conference overwhelmingly backed the leadership, leaving the Lib Dems as the only one of the three main parties explicitly promising tax cuts. A few years ago, the policy was to raise income tax to fund better public services. Mr Cable argues that times have changed, with Labour imposing too high a burden on taxpayers, and that Lib Dems must change too. But some here are not happy. Convincing disgruntled Lib Dem supporters and selling his plans to the wider public looks like leader Nick Clegg's biggest challenge in the lead-up to the next general election. |
| Lib Dems back tax cutsDelegates' views on tax cuts | Lib Dems back tax cutsDelegates' views on tax cuts |
| CONFERENCE ROUND-UP | CONFERENCE ROUND-UP |
| A motion calling for some court cases to be televised, so that justice can "be seen to be done", was defeated. | A motion calling for some court cases to be televised, so that justice can "be seen to be done", was defeated. |
| Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University warned that, if current poll ratings continued, the number of Lib Dem MPs would drop to 26 at the next election. | Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University warned that, if current poll ratings continued, the number of Lib Dem MPs would drop to 26 at the next election. |
| The Lib Dems voted for the International Criminal Court to get powers to prosecute national leaders who persecute their populations. | The Lib Dems voted for the International Criminal Court to get powers to prosecute national leaders who persecute their populations. |
| Delegates also criticised the government's plans to build "eco-towns", instead voting for construction to take place on brownfield sites wherever possible. | Delegates also criticised the government's plans to build "eco-towns", instead voting for construction to take place on brownfield sites wherever possible. |
| Home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said the party had the potential to make "serious gains" from Labour at the next election and that the Conservative "brand" would not stand up to the increased scrutiny. The Tories were "breathtakingly presumptuous" to adopt "fairness" as a value, he told a fringe meeting. | Home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said the party had the potential to make "serious gains" from Labour at the next election and that the Conservative "brand" would not stand up to the increased scrutiny. The Tories were "breathtakingly presumptuous" to adopt "fairness" as a value, he told a fringe meeting. |
| Former leader Sir Menzies Campbell revealed he had had "sleepless nights" over the Lib Dems' outright opposition to the Iraq war. | Former leader Sir Menzies Campbell revealed he had had "sleepless nights" over the Lib Dems' outright opposition to the Iraq war. |
| TASTE OF THE FUTURE? | TASTE OF THE FUTURE? |
| While some in the conference hall were finding it hard to digest the leadership's taxation plans, a young delegate-in-waiting was having no such problems. Party manifesto writer Danny Alexander revealed that his one-year-old daughter had "eaten" his copy of Make It Happen, the document laying out the blueprint for the Lib Dems' future. Well, it's a bit dry but it beats baby rice. | While some in the conference hall were finding it hard to digest the leadership's taxation plans, a young delegate-in-waiting was having no such problems. Party manifesto writer Danny Alexander revealed that his one-year-old daughter had "eaten" his copy of Make It Happen, the document laying out the blueprint for the Lib Dems' future. Well, it's a bit dry but it beats baby rice. |
| IMAGE OF THE DAY | IMAGE OF THE DAY |
| Nine-month-old Francesca Drake looks fascinated as Nick Clegg explains the minutiae of his party's tax policy. | Nine-month-old Francesca Drake looks fascinated as Nick Clegg explains the minutiae of his party's tax policy. |
| class="bodl" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7616683.stm">Day Three at-a-glance | |
| Day Two at-a-glance | Day Two at-a-glance |
| Day One at-a-glance | Day One at-a-glance |