January - a good month for this rural bureaucrat's blog...

A few weeks ago, I wrote a small, little noticed piece in which I opined on how nice it would be to win an award. It was, I admit, a bit tongue in cheek. After all, not much happens out here in 'bow and arrow' country - a non-political friend once described Norfolk as 'stone tools and incest' country if it's any consolation - so this is not likely to be a place for breaking stories.

However, since then, readers of LibDem Blogs have honoured this site with six nominations for Liberal Democrat Voice's weekly 'Golden Dozen', four on votes and two on recommendations, which is terribly encouraging. Indeed, it is by far my most successful month on that yardstick. So, just in case you missed them, here are the links to each, in date order, with Caron Lindsay's commentary;

Is a Conservative/Labour grand coalition actually a serious runner?

“Why should the prime beneficiaries of the current political system want to change it?”

Universal Credit: is it the theory or the practice that is bothering Rachel Reeves?

"If Labour decide not to back it, what benefits will they cut?"

It's so easy for Indians to get a visa to come here, right?

"The sentence “The Home Office is not minded to be generous” has to be a contender for understatement of the year."

If I'm in a hospital full of sick people, and I have an appointment, presumably I might be sick...

Are Labour beginning to fret about the Greens?

"Labour are attacking the Greens so they clearly see them as a threat, but Mark points out that Labour’s record in government brought it all on themselves."

International Relations Committee meets. Nobody gets hurt.

"And Mark has his report done almost by the end of his meeting. Must get on with that FE report…"

So far, so good. Can I keep this up in February? You're the judges, gentle readers...

Slightly embarrassed of Creeting St Peter writes...

There is, occasionally, a moment when someone says something, and it triggers a memory which would have been much more useful a few hours earlier.

So, when last night someone mentioned who had won the Liberal Democrat Voice 'Blog of the Year' Awards, it did cross my mind that I had intended to be there... tonight. Hmmm... not one of my more glorious moments. Admittedly, I was at one of the most enjoyable events I've ever been to at a Liberal Democrat conference, but nonetheless...

And, to make matters worse, I'd been nominated for an award, that for the best blog by a Liberal Democrat holding public office. Yes, a cute, furry parish councillor, up against a county councillor, an MP and a Minister. At least I didn't win, which is something of a mercy.

The award was won by Alex Folkes, whose reporting of events in Cornwall, around his home town of Launceston and on the Unitary Authority. Alex is a worthy winner, and losing to him comes without any sense of failure on my part.

So, three nominations, and still no award to match Ros's for best use of social media in a campaign. Ah well, maybe next year...

To Brighton, where a new blog emperor is crowned...

To Brighton for the opening salvoes of the Autumn Federal Conference. For reasons best known to myself, I originally decided not to book a hotel room in Brighton, having found the prices being quoted a mite extreme even for my somewhat bourgeois taste. However, on discovering that English Candidates Committee would meet at 9.30 on Sunday morning, I realised that I had no urge to get up at 6 a.m. to get there in good time. So I booked a room in the Hilton for Saturday night and got an astonishing reasonable rate.

Sunday saw, apart from the excitement of English Candidates Committee, where I provide a touch of humour (not always a good thing) and a bit of colour (I still like the shirt...), a series of technical debates related to internal Party matters. Quite dull, particularly to campaigners and policy wonks, but nonetheless important. I had been tapped on the shoulder earlier in the week to ask a question on staffing numbers and staff diversity which, whilst I was actually interested in the answer, I can't help feeling was an opening shot in someone else's campaign strategy. So I should thank those who set me up... and for giving me a chance to test the brightness and contrast settings for the monitors on stage.

The evening saw the Lib Dem Blog of the Year award ceremony, with the august figure of Iain Dale in attendance. Lynne Featherstone made the presentation of the award, looking a little like the Lara Croft of Lib Dem blogging (check out the picture for yourself on the Party website). I'm not quite certain what brought that image to mind, but there you go... There was even a gold envelope, which I thought was quite a nice touch.

The winner? Stephen Tall, from Oxford. He does write very well, and isn't afraid to court controversy or lead the agenda, and he speaks well too. The overall quality of the top six really should encourage the rest of us to 'up our game' a bit, although I'll try not to overreach myself. But now it's time for bed, and my own at that. Back to Brighton tomorrow, no, make that today, though for more Liberal Democracy...

I coulda been a contender

News of the Lib Dem Blog of the Year Award has reached this sleepy corner and, as someone without a hope in hell of winning it (no, really, not false modesty), I have taken an interest in the views of those indicating their personal favourites.

I am consequently reminded that my own humble blog isn't really connected to the outside world, mostly by my London Region colleague, Susanne Lamido, who is forever encouraging me to add buttons and do more with this blog. So I'm spending the afternoon adding buttons and links so as to provide more links to people who either have similar views or are just plain interesting. There is no need to reciprocate, think of it as due homage...