Beyond the fringe

The party conference season preceding a general election is an intense affair, particularly when a change of government is anticipated.

Make no mistake, the gloves are off: MPs and candidates popping up at policy debates in fringe events around Bournemouth, Brighton and Manchester were preoccupied with one thing and one thing only – how can we win over the voters?

Kicking off the season in Bournemouth for the Lib Dems, there was no mistaking that housing spokesperson Sarah Teather had a major axe to grind.

Her set piece speech to conference was as littered with references to Labour’s failures as it was with Lib Dem solutions. And she didn’t hold back in accusing Labour of having ‘systematically mugged’ the poorest people.