After a fine breakfast, fully participating in the Liberal Democrat Party Conference on another very warm and sunny day whilst Di enjoyed shopping and relaxing in the hotel. Listening to the economic debates and sharing time between the conference and fringe meetings before a meeting for council group leaders where the ASLDC described their plans for local election support next May and asked for our views accordingly
We had the first of three very nice Royal Bath Hotel full English Breakfasts and, because it is included within the price of the room, we always feel obliged to eat plenty! I had tomato juice and melon followed by fried egg, bacon, sausage, tomato, fried bread and mushrooms (and toast & coffee of course) and Diana had much the same thing without the fried bread and mushrooms. Today, I left Di to go shopping whilst I was at the conference. She spent the morning in a bookshop and then this afternoon looking at the clothes shops selecting the design of coat she would like for this winter. She ended up by ordering some coffee in the hotel leisure club whilst laying out on the sunbeds. All before taking a nice swim and hot tub!
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I got to the conference centre and found Murray inside and sat with him to hear the economic debates. I got Sue to sit in front of the audience camera to get her some television coverage and then we all met up for the first of our midday rendezvous. I then went off with our South West Cambridgeshire Constituency Chairman to the Anglian Television reception and got round the news executives and then introduced them to Sue Sutton (our prospective candidate) when she arrived. The afternoon spent between the conference and fringe meetings and, because it was and the venues were a fair walk apart, this was quite a hot and exhausting process. Back to the hotel for 6.00pm where I met Diana in the swimming pool and joined her there which was very refreshing after the hot day. We then went out to a cafe for our tea which was Diana's suggestion and then I left her to relax for an evening's television whilst I went off for an evening with the ALSDC (the Liberal Democrat Councillor's Association).
The first of the two meetings took the form of talks by the new Liberal Democrat group leaders of Grampion Region and Gordon District Councils in Scotland, and they described their experiences in taking over the councils. This was not only informative but also very entertaining and motivating as well. Then there was a meeting for council group leaders where the ASLDC described their plans for local election support next may and asked for our views accordingly. The particular question of a coincident national and local election in May was discussed as was the matter of setting priorities for both types of campaigning. I walked back chatting to my colleague who chairs South East Cambridgeshire afterwards and found the evening very useful.