DAY 2 AT CONFERENCE - THE TRUTH !

PART ONE.

The protesters hadn’t arrived in force when I got there this morning.  Just one man with a rather rude placard, but when I talked to him about what it actually said he had to admit that it wasn’t actually true what it was saying.  Leaflets that were handed out by people who looked to me to be genuinely concerned did no more than ask us to vote for the amendment on health policy that I was going to.

John arrived later in the morning and told me he had seen the communist flag flying as well as the Socialist Workers.  It certainly does not seem it is the angry people of Sheffield mobbing us.

Reports from Party Committees are often seen as drab and not exciting, but it is part of our internal party democracy that they all report back to conference and we have the chance to question them.  A good case was made for all registrations for conference being online, but an even better one was made, and accepted, that there are a few people who do not have any access to the internet at all or cannot use it, so there will be arrangements I the future for those

The policy committee was explaining how, in the future, all major policy issues will go before the back bench policy committees of the Commons and Lords before being announced.  A good move !

The mid term review sounds very important indeed.  The present coalition agreement will be time spent half way though this parliament, and so the outline was given on how the policy making process will work, going through a democratic process to (rather longer than the 5 days to agree the present coalition agreement!) so the party has its say on what platform our leadership can negotiate.

The debate on the VOLUNTARY SECTOR was next.  I was very pleased indeed that information I had passed on about the work of the Professional Services Group in Stockton under the auspices of Viva Volunteers had been specifically mentioned in the full policy document as a good model to follow for everyone else.

I spoke on the importance of giving the voluntary sector the opportunity to bid for delivering services now delivered by the public sector and take over the community assets such as buildings.  They could be innovative and flexible in their delivery in a way that the public sector cannot be.  I stressed the importance of the voluntary sector needing to give the same rights to users as they had with a local authority such as the ability to question, have an input into policy making, go to a public meeting, ask for information and if necessary have Freedom of Information apply, just as they can if the serviced are delivered by the local authority.  These points were not mentioned in the motion before us, but were accepted in the summing up speech, so worth the nerve wracking wait to see if called to speak and then go on to the platform and do it !

The removal of the mobility component from the Disability Living Allowance for people in residential care was roundly and soundly spoken about, and nobody was left in any doubt that removal was not a good idea at all.  Some in Government had thought the cost came from the Local Authority, but the LA had the reverse idea.  It all shows the value of not just thinking things out properly in the first place, and actually finding out facts, but also in having the opportunity for some democratic debate on a contentious idea.  It would have saved a lot of upset and worry for people.

Now the Health debate was contentious, and I was really pleased that the excellent amendment by Evan Harris that I had signed up to last week was taken and debated.  The media were expecting a massive row.  They will have been disappointed, but I wasn’t, as we had a good debate, and the many points about health policy having much more of a Liberal Democrat ethos were taken on board, and conference agreed wholeheartedly.  There was no need to count the votes for the amendments, as it was agreed by just about everyone present.

Wendy Taylor from Newcastle made a brilliant speech about not just needing a willing provider for delivering health care but and excellent one.  Money that Labour had put in had not been well spent and the target culture did not equal clinical need.  Health outcomes and quality of life were what really mattered.

Shirley Williams made it very clear she was not speaking to undermine Nick – BUT – told us very clearly what her views were, and urging us to vote for the amendment.  I really do with the media would stop this ridiculous business of pronouncing such votes as “AGAINST THE LEADERSHIP”, THEY ARE NO SUCH TNHING,THEY ARE VOTES FOR what Lib  Dems in the hall think are best.  For all of us.

Ian Swales MP for Redcar spoke well on the need for local flexibility and the importance of addressing the dreadful health inequalities in his constituency (that goes for Stockton too !)

Others stressed the need for changes to be about better outcomes, rather than targets, and the importance of decisions being taken for clinical reasons

Evan Harris summing up pointed out it was the first time one of his amendments had not had one single speaker against !  He reminded us that the NHS was a LIBERAL idea, and must remain with a Liberal ethos.

As he said, the difficult bit is now for our Lib Dem leadership work with coalition partners to improve what is on offer over Health policy and provision.

part 2 when I get time to post.