A Huge Success: Reaction to Lib Dem Spring Conference

Shepway Liberal Democrats were represented in force at the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in Harrogate. Folkestone and Hythe Parliamentary Spokesman Toby Philpott and many other local members including Maureen Speller, Paul Kincaid, Tom McNeice, Darren Briddock, Season Prater, Tim Prater and Shaun Roberts all made the journey for the traditional launch to May's election campaign.

In a message to members following the conference, Party Chief Executive Lord Chris Rennard described the conference as a huge success, saying:

"Our Harrogate spring conference was a huge success - with record attendance, our largest training programme ever, an excellent set of fringe meetings and high quality and substantive debates on policy.

"I met with many of our councillors, candidates and campaigners over the weekend. They said how much they appreciated the mailings and support from the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and the Campaigns Department.

"The Trident debate was a highlight and would never have been allowed in any other major party! You can read the details of what was agreed at http://tinyurl.com/3583sp .

"Our crime policies, and the important "We Can Cut Crime" campaign also featured heavily, including the launch of two new web sites:

• www.homeofficewatch.com to keep tabs on what the Home Office is really up to

www.corruptionisacrime.com about the need to take corruption in arms deals as seriously as other major crimes.

• Baroness Ros Scott, our local government spokesperson in the Lords, made an excellent film about how Liberal Democrat Councils can make a difference in cutting crime. You can watch our crime rally film "Liberal Democrats: Cutting Crime" (and other conference films) at http://www.youtube.com/libdem

"Conference ended with a strong speech from Ming Campbell. He set out five key areas in which any Gordon Brown Premiership is likely to fail to bring about a real change from Tony Blair's legacy: the environment, foreign affairs, tackling poverty, cutting crime and devolving real power.

"Gordon Brown as Prime Minister is very likely to be more of the same - not surprising given how much control he has had over the Government's policies even when Blair has been Prime Minister!

"Ming emphasised by contrast how the Liberal Democrats would bring about real change, including sustainable high quality local services and a clear commitment to a fair voting system where every vote really counts. You can read his speech and watch reaction to it at http://tinyurl.com/2w95ea ."