Off to Lib Dem special conference

I am heading off to the Lib Dem special conference in Birmingham soon where the coalition deal will be debated and voted upon. It is an exciting time for the party and it will be fascinating to see how it all goes.

Charles Kennedy has come out against the agreement in today's Observer and I got a phone call from Stephen Nolan's show on 5 Live last night as the story was breaking to ask me to go on air and comment. I said that it was understandable that Charles and some others feel uneasy about this deal but that in my view, given the election result it was the best option available for the party and the country. There was no easy option and I feel strongly that none of the alternatives available would have been the right course to follow.

I will be voting for the coalition today.