West Midlands Autumn Regional Conference

7.00.00pm GMT Sat 12th Nov 2005

Colin Ross training at West Midlands Regional Conference Autumn 2005

Today the West Midlands Autumn Regional Conference took place in Stratford upon Avon. It was well attended and saw a few policy debates, training and three main speeches from our two new MPs - Lorely Burt and John Hemming and from Phil Willis MP for Harrogate. There were also internal elections - I was re-elected as Regional Training Officer and to the English Council.

There were debates on the proposed expansion of Birmingham Airport, about exemptions from the minimum wage for younger people in employment and disabled access at Federal Conference. I spoke in both the Birmingham Airport debate and the Minimum Wage Debate. On the first I talk about the environmental impacts of the expansion particularly with reference to my involvement with the Cliffe Airport campaign when I worked for the RSPB. On the Minimum Wage I focused on fairness and equality two of the main reasons I am a Liberal Democrat.

Colin Ross training on Negative Campaigning

I organised eight training sessions and three 'drop-in' sessions for the Conference, training two myself including one on negative campaigning. The feedback on the all the sessions were good. Suggestions for next year's conference are welcome please!

Phil Willis MP addressing the West Midlands Regional Conference

We also had Birmingham Yardley MP John Hemming and Solihull MP Lorely Burt both addressing conference, it was the first West Midlands Liberal Democrat Conference since their elections earlier this year. The Keynote speaker was Phil Willis, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate who gave an passionate speech about the future of British politics, it wasn't quite a Leadership bid from Phil but certainly ensured that he is potentially in the running when the time comes!