Phil Bennion's 50th birthday party

6.00.00pm GMT Sun 10th Oct 2004

Last night I went to Phil Bennion's 50th birthday party at his farm in Staffordshire. Phil is a former member of the West Midlands Liberal Democrats Regional Executive and was third on the Liberal Democrat list of the European elections in June.

I have got to know Phil better over the last year, particular over food and drink in Brussels when we were both at the ELDR (European Liberal Democrats) meeting earlier this year. Despite my continuing toothache I was glad to have gone and really enjoyed myself. I had a number of random conservations with people I had not previously met included Phil's America brother-in-law about the upcoming US Presidential elections, taxation and education with some conservatives and various other conversations!