Off to LibDem Conference in Southport.

The journey on the West Coast Main Line was a salutary travel experience for a Londoner used to berating the conditions of the underground. The tube is just fab compared to this travesty of a travel mode that calls itself a railway. I know the speed restrictions are in place for safety following Potters Bar and Hatfield – but how long does it take to repair?

Well – the journey took about 5+ hours at a crawl. But hey – then I was there by the English seaside. I thought it was very windy – and wondered how stoic you would have to be to actually holiday there as I was nearly blown off my feet every time I emerged from my hotel. I only found out later that the whole country had been swept by gales at 70+ mph.

My hotel which was the Conference Headquarters hotel was one of those grand old seaside hotels that had been so splendid in days gone by, but whose faded grandeur was now bordering on seediness. Not withstanding this decline, I plonked myself in the lounge bar on arrival, and did what you are meant to do at Conference – reacquainted myself with colleagues from the length and breadth of the land and had a couple of gin and tonics in lieu of lunch.

Crossing from bar to chair, I encountered John Craig, Sky’s political presenter and his colleague Fiona. So I joined them for chat about the greater issues of the day. For John that meant how ill was Charles really? Well – there’s no use pretending – that was the big story!

I might very well want the media to concentrate on our policy of scrapping the unfair council tax – but in pecking order it was – Charles’ health (or lack of it ), our debate to allow porn for 16 year olds, banning smoking in public places and euthanasia. I’ve given up worrying about what the media cover – just do the work and it will all be alright.

Following dinner with my campaign manager, during which we like to reminisce how far we’ve come in Haringey and how far we want to go (this is a tradition – hugely enjoyed by both of us) I sneak off to my room to watch the last episode of Sex and the City. Couldn’t miss it. Cry through entire episode. Thank goodness it was the ending we girls would have wanted.