Wednesday, September 20, 2006
For regular attendees, returning to Lib Dem conference becomes increasingly like going to a gathering of the extended family. The more times you go, the more other Conference Reps you know, and the more Lib Dem friends you meet up with who lived in your area a few years – or a decade – ago. Some of the old friends I met up with voted a different way on the big issue of Conference – yesterday’s tax debate – but that never gets in the way of a chat and a drink.
At last night’s BBC reception, John Culshaw, who did a stand-up routine, commented that Lib Dems laugh at ourselves more than the other Parties – New Labour first check to see who else is laughing. Perhaps the facts that we don’t take ourselves too seriously and we feel free to react how we feel helps explain why Lib Dem conference is such a comfortable place to be.
At last night’s BBC reception, John Culshaw, who did a stand-up routine, commented that Lib Dems laugh at ourselves more than the other Parties – New Labour first check to see who else is laughing. Perhaps the facts that we don’t take ourselves too seriously and we feel free to react how we feel helps explain why Lib Dem conference is such a comfortable place to be.
# posted by Jon Ball @ 10:36 PM
Monday, September 18, 2006
I'm Jon Ball - I'm a member of the Lib Dem Federal Conference Committee and I'm also involved in Lib Dems Online. I've organised the last two conference blogs but this is the first time I've dipped my toe in the water of blogging myself.
The online world of e-campaigning has reached increasing prominance at this Conference. On Sunday I attended the first Lib Dem blog of the year awards, won by Stephen Tall, at which Lynne Featherstone mentioned in her speech that half the people there were bloggers and the other half were attracted by the free bar. A mixture of bloggers and blaggers, she could have added...
In the conference hall itself today, Ed Davey delivered a presentation on the party's communication strategy. A major thrust of his message was the role of eCampaigning as part of grassroots community politics. More people use the internet than voted at the last general election, and for many, the internet is their source of news. Technology is politics' great leveller; we can use it to reach out beyond our target seats. I think Ed hit the nail on the head here.
Looking ahead, the media are right that the issue everyone is talking about in the bars is the tax debate, but they are dead wrong that the crucial factor is whether Conference Reps are debating whether to support Ming by voting for the tax reform paper or bash him by amending it.
It may sound naive but most Lib Dems are discussing the pros and cons of the proposals in the paper and amendments. Whichever way they vote tomorrow morning, it will be for what they think is the best policy.
Perhaps the media's obsession with personalities is because they tend to spend Conference talking either to each other or to a subset of MPs so don't get much of a feel for how the average Rep operates? This is where blogging and eCampaigning can bypass the mainstream media and communicate directly with the people.
The online world of e-campaigning has reached increasing prominance at this Conference. On Sunday I attended the first Lib Dem blog of the year awards, won by Stephen Tall, at which Lynne Featherstone mentioned in her speech that half the people there were bloggers and the other half were attracted by the free bar. A mixture of bloggers and blaggers, she could have added...
In the conference hall itself today, Ed Davey delivered a presentation on the party's communication strategy. A major thrust of his message was the role of eCampaigning as part of grassroots community politics. More people use the internet than voted at the last general election, and for many, the internet is their source of news. Technology is politics' great leveller; we can use it to reach out beyond our target seats. I think Ed hit the nail on the head here.
Looking ahead, the media are right that the issue everyone is talking about in the bars is the tax debate, but they are dead wrong that the crucial factor is whether Conference Reps are debating whether to support Ming by voting for the tax reform paper or bash him by amending it.
It may sound naive but most Lib Dems are discussing the pros and cons of the proposals in the paper and amendments. Whichever way they vote tomorrow morning, it will be for what they think is the best policy.
Perhaps the media's obsession with personalities is because they tend to spend Conference talking either to each other or to a subset of MPs so don't get much of a feel for how the average Rep operates? This is where blogging and eCampaigning can bypass the mainstream media and communicate directly with the people.
# posted by Jon Ball @ 5:52 PM
