Main content

24/09/2010 | Liberal Democrat conference

Susan Hulme looks at the Liberal Democrats' fortunes at the polls and role in the coalition government in the week of their party conference.

Politics has turned its attention to Liverpool this week for the Liberal Democrat annual party conference. With lots of media speculation about splits within the party and how best to present themselves in a coalition, was it going to live up to the hype?

Former Liberal Democrat activist Lord Tony Greaves, says the party should put some space between themselves and the Conservatives, much like parties in coalition governments do abroad.

Brian Paddick, who once ran for London Mayor, tries to calm fellow Lib Dem Linda Jack’s fears of possible damage to the Liberal Democrat’s image whilst in a coalition government.

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s polling expert David Cowling discusses the Liberal Democrats’ sudden decline in the opinion polls with Julian Astle of the Liberal Democrat think tank Centre Forum.

And the trouble with Vince Cable: he was hugely popular at the conference, but have his remarks upset the business community? The former head of the Confederation of British Industry, Lord Digby Jones gives us his view, as does Fraser Nelson, editor of the Spectator Magazine.

Available now

28 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Fri 24 Sep 2010 11:32GMT
  • Fri 24 Sep 2010 15:32GMT
  • Fri 24 Sep 2010 23:32GMT
  • Sat 25 Sep 2010 03:32GMT

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service Archive

This programme was restored as part of the World Service archive project