Party Conference etc

We were in Bournemouth Tuesday night and Wednesday for the LibDem Party Conference. I spoke at a fringe meeting on Afghanistan, where a vociferour minority were in favour of immediate withdrawal. I tried to outline the consequences: an extremist government in Kabul, and probably in Islamabad as well. Taliban with nuclear arsenal? No thanks.

In the afternoon, John Alderdyce, President of the Liberal International, presented me with the LI Freedom Prize again, in the conference hall.

Yesterday evening, attended the launch of Shirley Williams' autobiography Climbing the Bookshelves, at the National Liberal Club. She is a wonderful friend, and I love to hear her speaking, which she did as usual without a note. And a glance at the book reminds me she's just as great with the written as the spoken word.

Tomorrow I'm the keynote speaker at the AGM of the Advisory Council on the Education of Romanies and Travellers, in Millman Street. I remember vaguely that its near the British Museum, but now I need to figure out how to get there by 09.30