The Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth this year was a tremendous success. Good debates, good fringe and good networking.

I spoke once on the conference floor to try and persuade Conference that a Shoots barrage or indeed any barrage should NOT play any part of the renewable energy harvest from the Severn estuary. We should be concentrating on making the various new technologies and ideas work and in the SW become a global expert on tidal energy. Every country in the world already knows how to pour a million tons of concrete and rock into a dam. Did not win the vote but at least the policy says we MAY consider a barrage option. Now get to work on promoting the new technologies so that a barrage option becomes redundant.

Three best fringe events for me were Child Poverty Action ; Arts Alliance and Chinese Embassy

The Arts Alliance was particularly  lively with poetry, music and readings from reformed prisoners, a ukelele spot from Don Foster MP and great compering of the evening by Billy Bragg.

The Chinese Embassy fringe was also very good with a range of speakers and the current ambassador Fu Ying. Ambassador Fu Ying was a very impressive speaker and fielded all questions and challenged us on our thinking and policies as well. I really must put more effort into my mandarin classes.