The long haul up North starts today – you can keep up with the action from Federal Conference on twitter – #ldconf or if you like pretty things this link for twitterfall.
There will be daily updates on here from me and any other welsh reps I can rope into it. In the mean time some likely highlights for people to watch out for:
If you are new to conference, the new attendees fringe on Friday night at 9.45 in the Charter Suite of the Holiday Inn at Harrogate;
At 10pm the LGA Group will present their awards for council group of the year. Cardiff won a couple of years ago – will there be more Welsh victories. Pop along and pick up the best ideas in local government and a glass of wine;
Saturday sees training and lots of fringes. I’ll be at the Social Liberal Forum’s event in the evening at Harewood 2 in the Holiday Inn at 6.15pm. Afterwards, some of us will be heading to the bar to continue the debate;
Meanwhile back in the main hall before lunch will be Howard Dean, who really harnessed the power of the internet in his 2004 presidential bid, then oversaw Obama’s 50 state strategy will be speaking. It should be fascinating, so come along if you can;
On Sunday our very own Kirsty Williams will be delivering a keynote speech in the hall. Fresh from her victory in the Women in Public Life awards. Nick Clegg will also be back after becoming a Dad for the third time.
Welsh reps have a formidable reputation to uphold for delivering some stonking speeches, pushing trainers to answer formidable questions, and doing all this on surprisingly little sleep. If you don’t know how to find us, or want advice on the honed sport of fringe-troughing; I’ll be the loud blonde one in the corner of the holiday inn bar making trouble and occasionally looking like I’m doing work.
*fringetrough (verb) = identify fringe with best food, ask several polite and pointed questions, pile scrummy food on plate, leave and save paying for dinner
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