Given the background to conference last weekend in Liverpool I think Cleggy played an absolute blinder. Europe earlier in the week looked like plunging the party into an internal crisis but I can honestly say the subject was hardly mentioned in the bars. I believe last weekend was a defining moment in our parties history and will be known as the time we grew up as a political party.

 I e-mailed Nick on Monday to congratulate him on what I thought was 2 superb speeches. His main speech was the best I have ever seen from a Liberal Democrat leader and he really looked like a future Prime Minister. His views and general policy direction are radical and his willingness to take the fight to both Labour and the Conservatives was truly inspiring.