I’m really sorry, but I simply cannot be bothered to go to the Leader’s Speech this morning.

I will listen to what he has to say later on the radio, or I will download his speech, but this morning it’s not important to me to go and sit in the conference hall and listen.

Two factors influence my decision:

1. The conference appeal
2. My bags

Shortly before the Leader speaks, they pass buckets around and get delegates representatives to dig into their pockets, fill in credit card slips and donate, donate, donate.  If the leader is late, they keep on doing this for a long time.

I’m sorry, but I’m skint.  I have spent a considerable amount of money to be here, as will have most people here.  Anyone staying in the conference hotel will have forked out the best part of £1000 for their accommodation alone, without thinking of the expense of getting here or eating here, or provisioning oneself with the empty calories that make conference so convivial.  But the appeal is a big, big money spinner for the party, so they are not about to stop it any time soon.
And the issue of bags.  You can’t take suitcases into the conference hall.  I’ve been here a week with a lot of luggage (even my daily kit has been extensive: laptop, recorder, mobile, camera, paperwork…).  In order to go to the leader’s speech, I would have to leave my pricey gadgets with my hotel, walk the miles along the seafront to the conference centre, sit in the hall being bullied into clapping, then walk the miles back to my hotel, then walk the further miles from there to the station.

Instead, I’ve chosen to take a leisurely stroll through the lanes (with my bags) find a wifi hotspot, and sit out the length of my battery.  (This means relying on books for my train journey home)

Anyway, I interviewed Sir Menzies earlier in the week for the LDV podcasat.  Well, almost.