Conference Diary: The day when even Nick Clegg was outshone
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.There has not been a surfeit of excitement at the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton this week but there was a brief moment yesterday when to have been in the wrong place would have been to risk being trampled by excited photographers. It was when Nick Clegg descended the main staircase on his way to deliver his final speech.
The photographers were not there to capture images of Clegg, but of the woman alongside him, his wife, Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, looking striking in a white dress by Henrietta Ludgate, set off by red high-heeled shoes. The cheapest dress on offer on the designer's website is £397. At the top of the range you're looking at £1,600.
Come back Lembit, the party needs you
What the conference has missed is Lembit Opik, the ex-MP. Every Shakespeare tragedy has a comic turn, and the Sorry Party conference should really have featured a speech from Lembit on how to fail, and fail, and keep on bouncing back with a happy smile. He has been visible on the edges of the event, and just before the leader's big speech, he helpfully remarked: "If Nick Clegg was a tin of fish we would all be looking at the 'best before' date."
Charles who? How soon a leader is forgotten
Charles Kennedy was also absent from Brighton. Paddy Ashdown, the founding leader of the Liberal Democrats, who stood down in 1999, was very prominently seated at the front during Nick Clegg's speech and is to be given a role in the coming general election campaign. Ian Wrigglesworth, a former Labour MP who has never won any election as a Liberal Democrat, held the stage immediately before Clegg.But the leader under whose six-year stewardship the party increased its size in the Commons from 46 MPs to its peak of 62, before he was forced out of office after owning up to a drink problem, was absent, unmentioned, and unremembered, like an embarrassing relative who has to be locked away. And this claims to be the nice party.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments