Autumn Conference Bournemouth 19th – 23rd September 2009 Conference Directory A fresh start for Britain Choosing a different, better future All the big health debates under one roof THE HEALTH HOTEL Supported by: )%/7,$21)<*5)),)%/7,7)67-1+%(9-')%1(0%66%+) %785(%; 72")(1)6(%;)37)0&)5%-1175%1') Monday 21 September 8;12:3%;/%7)5 5)+8/,2//%1( < 85/);220 "-11-1+7,)&%77/)*25,)%576%1(&5%-16250%1%0& < 5%1.620)220 %7-)176%*)7; %1)/)'7-2135-25-7; %1(5%-(/); < 921220 "-//3%7-)176&)6%*)-17,)-&)5%/)02'5%76=,%1(6 %1(5%-(/); < 85/);220 Specialised Healthcare Alliance 5)(-7581',72)%/7,581',%521)66%5.)5 < %;9-):8-7) 927)*25,)%/7, 250%1%0& < 5)+21:)//220 !""# 250%1%0& %1()&%7) Supported by: < 85&)'.8-7)-+,'/-**)%55-277 )%/7,27)/)')37-21:-7,%1%((5)66&;250%1%0& Supported by: < 25',)67)58-7)-+,'/-**)%55-277(invitation only) Tuesday 22 September 1)-17,5)) %'./-1+'%1')5-6%1)/)'7-21-668) %1(5%-(/); < 5)+21:)//220 )5621%/-6-1+'%5) 7,)',2-')6:)*%')250%1%0& < 85/);220 ,))%/7,'%5)-1(8'%7-21,%//)1+) 5)+8/,2//%1( < 5%1.620)220 )0)17-%()'%() %'85)&; 5)+8/,2//%1( < %;9-):8-7) 520",-7),%//727,)72:1,%//<no longer a national health service? 2,18+, < 5)+21:)//220 %6,*25,)%/7, 3%;-1+7,)35-')*2548%/-7; %1(5%-(/); < 5%1.620)220 Health Hotel non-fringe members: 25025)-1*250%7-216))%77%',)(352+5%00)259-6-7 www.healthhotel.org.uk *;285)48-5)7,-6%(9)57-6)0)17-15%-//)/%5+)35-1725%8(-23/)%6)'217%'7 Introduction Contents Welcome to the Conference Directory for Features: the Liberal Democrat autumn 2009 federal Welcome to Bournemouth 3 conference. by Annette Brooke MP This Conference Directory takes you through My first Liberal Assembly 4 everything taking place outside the main Auditorium by Chris Rennard at conference. It has been designed to help you Engage 6 make the most of conference, so even if you are a by Jeremy Hargreaves long-standing conference attendee, please familiarise yourself with the information in the following pages – Information: we change and improve things all the time! If you still Conference information 7 have any questions on anything you’ve read or are Access and facilities for disabled people 12 unsure about something onsite, simply head to the Transport and travel 14 Exhibition Information Features Information Desk where a member of the stewards team will be happy to help. Conference venue plan 15 We’re delighted to have hundreds of independent Exhibition 16–22 fringe events running again this year. With a huge Conference sponsors and advertisers 23 range of topics, speakers and organisations involved, Conference fringe guide: 25–71 you’ll be hard pushed to choose between them. Use the fringe guide and conference diary pullout to start Fringe venues and key 25 planning your week. Saturday fringe 27 When you fancy a break from the Auditorium, why Sunday fringe 31 not take a walk around the bustling Solent Hall to see Monday fringe 47 what our various exhibitors have to offer? The Tuesday fringe 63 exhibition pages detail the wide variety of Wednesday fringe 71 organisations we have in this year’s exhibition hall and where to find them. Conference diary 35–37 Finally the enclosed map and venue plan will help you 2010 conference timetable 38 get your bearings around both the conference centre Map of Bournemouth town centre 72 and Bournemouth itself. Don’t forget to leave yourself some time to explore Bournemouth’s local restaurants, shops and beautiful stretches of See the separate Conference Agenda coastline. We hope this guide will help you make the most of your time in Bournemouth. for details of the agenda, procedural information and standing orders. Have a good conference! The Conference Team www.libdems.org.uk/conference ISBN 978-1-907046-12-4 Design and layout by Mike Cooper, 25 Orchard Road, Sutton, SM1 2QA. Printed by DSR Print Management Ltd, Scirocco Close, Moulton Saturday Sunday Park,Monday Tuesday Wednesday fringe Published by The Conference Office, Liberal Democrats, Northampton, NN3 6HE. 4 Cowley Street, London, SW1P 3NB. Diary Front cover photos, clockwise from top left: © Manny Begum; © David Angell, NickClegg.com; © Manny Begum; © LDPics; © Mike Cooper. Printed on recycled paper A fresh start for Britain Choosing a different, better future 1 The Conference Rally Liberal Democrats: Ready to Win Advert Half page Floella Benjamin Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP Karen Hamilton Charles Kennedy MP Sarah Teather MP Sarah Teather MP will compere the Rally at the last Autumn Conference before the General Election. Nick Clegg MP will be joined by Charles Kennedy MP, TV personality and campaigner Floella Benjamin, and PPC for Birmingham Perry Barr Karen Hamilton, to set out why only the Liberal Democrats can deliver a different, better Britain. Saturday 19th September 5.30 – 6.15pm, Welcome drinks, Solent Hall, BIC kindly hosted by the Mayor of Bournemouth, 6.30 – 7.30pm, The Rally, Windsor Hall, BIC Conference photo pass required for entry A fresh start for Britain 2 Choosing a different, better future Welcome to Bournemouth By Annette Brooke MP Features I am delighted to welcome very proud to represent such a diverse you for a second year to and attractive area. Bournemouth and Dorset. Liberal Democrat party conferences Last year I promised you perfect are popular with locals because they weather! I also anticipated that not only do not bring the town to a standstill would you find the Bournemouth and the police are not diverted from International Centre an excellent venue their other duties to any significant for our conference but you would also extent. People from neighbouring find a wide range of activities and areas continue to use the town and facilities in Bournemouth to occupy our spending is an added boost to the you and your family if you had any local economy. spare moments. With its good supply of centrally So a quick reminder: we have fabulous located hotel accommodation, I am sandy beaches, a vibrant nightlife, sure that Bournemouth will be popular Annette Brooke is Liberal excellent shops, and many attractions with you. Democrat MP for Mid such as the promenade, the Chines, Dorset and North Poole the land train, and the Bournemouth Travelling from London you will have Eye. There is also a good range of passed through Winchester and eating places within walking distance Eastleigh and you could have taken a of the Conference Centre. slight diversion to Romsey and Portsmouth South. A small extension Last year the sun shone on our to your journey will take you to Mid conference despite the dreadful Dorset and North Poole. This will be summer and rightly so! Just in case our last autumn conference before the there is the odd shower this year, two General Election and it would be great places of interest to visit which I can to think we might fill in more of the recommend are the Oceanarium and gaps in areas of parliamentary the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and representation. Museum. The latter is celebrating its centenary this year. This will be a particularly important conference for all of us setting out our If you do have time to travel whilst distinctive policies and attending staying in Dorset, the coastline offers important training sessions. I am everything from picturesque harbours, proud that we shall be in Bournemouth long sandy beaches and dramatic cliff for this event and I hope that you have top formations to hidden coves and a great time politically and socially. rock pools. At 185 million years old, the Jurassic Coast is England’s only natural World Heritage Site, made up of Jurassic, Triassic and Cretaceous I am proud that we shall be in rocks. Bournemouth for this event and I The Purbeck part of my constituency hope that you have a great time provides the Gateway to the Jurassic Coast whilst the eastern edge shares politically and socially. its boundary with Bournemouth. I am A fresh start for Britain Choosing a different, better future 3 Features My first Liberal Assembly By Chris Rennard My first conference was the Conferences and how they have Liberal Party Assembly in helped to maintain our belief in a set of values, our confidence in our Southport in 1978. principles and our enthusiasm for a great cause. The biggest debate was on a motion ‘regretting the actions of Party Officers The bars have played a large part. I in discouraging the former Leader understand that the only conference Jeremy Thorpe from attending’. The with a higher alcohol consumption per former Leader was awaiting trial on delegate than the Liberal Assembly charges of conspiracy to murder and was that of the Licensed Victuallers the ‘Lib-Lab Pact’ that propped up Association! Jim Callaghan’s Government was deeply unpopular. It was the Autumn Early Liberal Democrat conferences before an inevitable General Election. took place in difficult circumstances. Most expectations were that the At Brighton in 1989 the very large hall number of Liberal MPs would fall from seemed fairly empty, morale was at the then total of 13. rock bottom after having polled 6% in the European elections and most of Nothing seemed, however, to dampen my colleagues at HQ had just been the enthusiasm (and certainly not the made redundant. It was a difficult Chris Rennard stood drinking habits) of Liberals who personal decision not to accept the down as the Liberal attended.