I've not always been a big fan of Party Conferences. As a natural wallflower (it's all a disguise, I'm painfully shy and insecure, really), my networking skills were rather poor and I tended to hang out with my old friends and watch the other delegates wander to and fro, drinking, having casual sex and doing all of the other exciting things that presumably go on at these events but I never actually see myself.
I really must credit Rachelle with demonstrating how networking is done (she is terribly good at it) and am, as a result, somewhat better at it. It does help that, as Regional Secretary, Returning Officer and parliamentary candidate assessor, I appear in people's lives briefly, have some minor impact, smile sweetly and move on. As a result, conference has become the heady social whirl I always imagined that it should be.
Coming up to Harrogate on Thursday evening helped though. I was able to spend Friday relaxing and destressing, getting my hair cut, (and for those of you who haven't seen me since Thursday, you might be in for a bit of a surprise...) followed by an afternoon at the town's Turkish Baths. Friday evening was spent at leisure with colleagues over dinner, celebrating the birthday of Eliane, who works in our Candidates Office. Eliane is a treasure, a calm, still voice in the occasionally manic world of candidate selection and approval, who graciously tolerates my foibles and eccentricities and in return helps me when I need something.
I'm not able to give you a view on the Trident debate as, due to a clash with English Candidates Committee, I was otherwise engaged. Ironically, we were discussing issues which, in their own comparatively small way, will have a significant impact on the Party, in that we were debating the process of selecting our European Parliamentary lists. Hopefully, we'll improve the process, freeing up potential candidates to interact with, and engage the selectorate much more than in past selections. In doing so, technology will be our friend as much as possible. I know how frustrating it can be for those candidates who are comfortable in the brave new world of Facebook, YouTube, Skype and Second Life, when we tell them, "no, you can't do that", primarily because we, the 'regulators', struggle to comprehend how it all works, and it's easier to say no than to address the challenges and opportunities created.
I spent most of the rest of the day in the bar, predominantly not drinking (the diet is going pretty well, thank you for asking), and meeting old friends and new. Debates on policy don't really enthrall me, if truth be told, as I don't really know enough or, equally importantly, care enough to take part. And it is so frustrating not to be able to take part... What I find so reassuring is the number of bright, young, enthusiastic campaigners we have who want to win, and are willing to do the work to achieve that. Best of all, they are incredibly diverse, which is perhaps a sign that our candidate approval process does work, albeit imperfectly sometimes.
In about half an hour, Ming will be giving his big set piece speech to close Conference. Whilst there are many who remain unconvinced, it is generally accepted that his intervention in yesterday's debate, whilst high-risk, was critical in swinging the waverers behind the leadership line. At the very least, it has bought him a little time to consolidate his position further. And yet, he will be under pressure today, as the eyes of the Party lock their gaze upon him. What will he say to stir the blood before the Local Elections in May? Will he generate a buzz to inspire candidates in tough contests? Will he carve out a philosophical niche that is liberal?
We'll just have to see, won't we...
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