Live blog: Nick Clegg's speech
Updated on 23 September 2009
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg rallies his party faithful in his closing speech to the party's annual conference in Bournemouth. Read what he said on our live blog.
- 4:12 PM: channel4news More analysis throughout the afternoon as well - our FactCheck will be going through the speech and we'll be Snowcloud-ing it to see what the key words were. Plus join us tonight at 7 on Channel 4 News.
- 4:09 PM: channel4news And that's it folks. Watch out for more live blogging from the Labour and Conservative conferences over the next fortnight, and join the Twitter debate with top politicians: bit.ly
- 4:04 PM: channel4news Suddenly very quite in the conference hall as delegates file out.
- 4:04 PM: channel4news He hugs and kisses all his shadow cabinet, ends with shaking hands with Gurkhas and with a final flourish, leaves the hall.
- 4:02 PM: channel4news Woops and cheers
- 4:02 PM: channel4news Cameras circle...
- 4:01 PM: channel4news Clegg presses flesh to uplifting music.
- 4:01 PM: libdems There is hope for a different future a different way of doing things in Britain if we are brave enough to make a #freshstart @Nick_Clegg
- 4:01 PM: channel4news The speech is over, but the debate goes on. You political pundits may be interested to join in our political Twinge next Monday - a Twitter debate with top politicians and bloggers at the Labour and Conservative party conferences. Follow us #twinge - get your questions ready: bit.ly
- 4:00 PM: channel4news Standing ovation for Clegg.
- 4:00 PM: channel4news And so it ends... "So let today be the first day of the future of British politics.
It may be only the beginning.
But it is the beginning.
The beginning of real change in Britain.
If you want things to be different, really different, choose the party that is different.
Choose the Liberal Democrats." - 3:59 PM: channel4news Sound bite time: "The choice at the next election is fake change from the Conservatives. Or real change from the Liberal Democrats."
- 3:59 PM: libdems Turn to the Liberal Democrats - we carry the torch of progress now! says @Nick_Clegg #LDConf #Progress
- 3:57 PM: channel4news If we want this vision of a happy Lib Dem Britain, we have to vote for it.
- 3:57 PM: channel4news We feel the closing rhetoric coming on...
- 3:57 PM: libdems Make no mistake: the Liberal Democrats will do things differently in Britain says @Nick_Clegg #LDConf
- 3:56 PM: libdems If you share our vision for a different kind of future. Then go with your instincts - vote Liberal Democrat says @Nick_Clegg #LDConf
- 3:54 PM: channel4news Clegg, multi-linguist and former MEP, is on comfortable territory - attacking Tories for not being European enough in outlook.
- 3:54 PM: libdems Imagine Liberal Democrats around the negotiating table says @Nick_Clegg #ForeignPolicy #LDConf
- 3:53 PM: channel4news Nick Clegg's imagining a Liberal Democrat cabinet, and introducing them one by one. An attempt to raise their profile?
- 3:51 PM: libdems Climate change is the greatest challenge of our age, no doubt about it says @Nick_Clegg #LDConf www.nickclegg.com/oneplanet
- 3:49 PM: channel4news Vince Cable sits in the audience next to Paddy Ashdown, nodding sagely from time to time.
- 3:48 PM: channel4news Clegg talks tough to MPs. Reform expenses! No to big donations! Let's elect the Lords! He wants to put an end to safe seats, too.
- 3:48 PM: libdems Imagine a Liberal Democrat cabinet urges @Nick_Clegg #LDConf
- 3:47 PM: libdems Fair votes for everyone says @Nick_Clegg - that means radical electoral reform #LDConf
- 3:46 PM: libdems Only the Liberal Democrats will clean up Westminster says @Nick_Clegg #LDConf
- 3:45 PM: libdems We will deliver fair taxes, £700 extra per year in the average person's pocket, no tax over the 1st £10,000 you earn - @Nick_Clegg #ldconf
- 3:44 PM: channel4news It's sting the rich time... "If you've got a house worth over a million pounds.
If you fly trans-Atlantic a couple of times a month.
If you get a seven-figure bonus paid in share options to get round income tax.
You will pay more." - 3:43 PM: channel4news Lib Dems will reinvent the tax system to make it fair, he tells us.
- 3:40 PM: libdems The Liberal Democrats will not fail you says @Nick_Clegg I will not let you down #LDConf
- 3:39 PM: channel4news Clegg says sorry to young people -they've been let down.
- 3:38 PM: channel4news "If it comes down to discipline on pay or mass redundancies.
I think we all agree: protecting jobs must come first." Cue long applause. - 3:38 PM: libdems Young people are bearing too much of the burden of this recession says @Nick_Clegg #LDConf
- 3:37 PM: channel4news There will be cuts, Clegg tells us.
- 3:36 PM: libdems I want to work with you, hand in glove, to agree the way forward says @Nick_Clegg #LDConf
- 3:34 PM: channel4news Long applause when Clegg says No to Trident replacement.
- 3:34 PM: channel4news
- 3:34 PM: libdems We say no to the like for like replacement of Trident says @Nicl_Clegg #LDConf
- 3:32 PM: channel4news Tribute paid so far to former leaders Paddy Ashdown, Ming Campbell and Charles Kennedy... and of course, former acting leader, St Vince.
- 3:32 PM: libdems Liberal Democrats will do things differently says @Nick_Clegg #LDConf
- 3:30 PM: libdems I am not going to abandon our vision for a better Britain because money's tight says @Nick_Clegg #ldconf
- 3:30 PM: channel4news And oh no, we're back in the present, with some scary big numbers. "We will borrow £175bn this year alone - £5,550 every single second."
- 3:30 PM: libdems Ours is the party of @VinceCable the 1st to see problems brewing in our economy the 1st with a vision of how to take us to recovery #ldconf
- 3:29 PM: channel4news Clegg's drawing the dividing lines, including a reminder of a position that earned his party a lot of kudos in the last election. "When our troops were massing on the borders of Iraq. The Conservatives cheered from the sidelines, and only Liberal Democrats said no."
- 3:25 PM: channel4news Clegg now tells us he is now Brad Pitt. Well, on the basis that they are both about 6ft tall and born in the mid-60s. Which is also about all he has in common with David Cameron.
- 3:25 PM: libdems Today is @Nick_Clegg's wedding anniversary! (Miriam says he's nothing like Brad Pitt) #LDConf
- 3:24 PM: channel4news The Tory-bashing is in full swing - Cameron stands for fake change. "The Conservatives want to inherit power; I want us to earn it."
- 3:23 PM: channel4news Shades of the Obama - "People are hungry for change." The C word has cropped up a lot in the speech so far, by our calculations.
- 3:23 PM: channel4news Video update: Nick Clegg "I want to be Prime Minister:
- 3:22 PM: channel4news
- 3:22 PM: channel4news Another joke, this time C4-related... Labour ministers remind him of Big Brother contestants - out of touch with reality, and about to be shut off.
- 3:20 PM: channel4news High time for a tie check - Clegg's in yellow. A foretaste of election campaign neckwear to come?
- 3:19 PM: channel4news First laugh of the speech - this week Clegg has been called a lot of names, even a "good leader" - by Evan Harris.
- 3:17 PM: channel4news Clegg: "I have spent half a lifetime imagining a better society.
And I want to spend the next half making it happen." - 3:17 PM: channel4news Clegg now telling us why he wants to be PM. We will resist the temptation to suggest he should have joined a different party, in that case. That would be a cheap shot.
- 3:16 PM: channel4news Barack Obama and Nick Clegg go head to head with keynote speeches - one to the UN in NYC, the other to the Bournemouth party faithful.
- 3:15 PM: channel4news Quick news channel check: BBC News is sticking with Clegg; Sky has plumped for Obama.
- 3:14 PM: channel4news We must change course on Afghanistan, he says. "I know some of you believe we should call for British troops to withdraw now. If things continue on the present disastrous course, then sooner or later that is a judgement which we may need to make."
- 3:14 PM: libdems Superb selection of PPCs seated behind @Nick_Clegg while he delivers his #LDConf speech #FreshStart
- 3:13 PM: channel4news He starts off by paying sombre tribute to our troops in Afghanistan.
- 3:12 PM: channel4news And the lights are up for Clegg...
- 3:12 PM: channel4news Oops, not shadow cabinet. The dark confused us. More like hopeful Lib Dems - maybe a shadow cabinet to be?
- 3:10 PM: channel4news Shadow cabinet look slightly ominous, silhouetted on stage in front of the video screen.
- 3:10 PM: channel4news And we're off - live blogging Nick Clegg's speech at the Liberal Democrat conference: bit.ly
- 3:09 PM: channel4news Video screen showing voters telling us why they chose Lib Dems. Plenty of Tory-bashing in evidence.
- 3:08 PM: channel4news The lights have dimmed - we're seconds away.
- 3:02 PM: channel4news And now it's show me the top brass time - the stage is filling up.
- 3:01 PM: channel4news It's show me the money time - delegates being urged to empty their wallets to bolster the pre-election coffers.
- 2:58 PM: channel4news Video: Clegg's walk to the conference hall, slightly marred by placard bearing duo. Watch below.
- 2:58 PM: channel4news
- 2:49 PM: channel4news We'll be posting clips of the speech as we go along, and you can add your comments to the debate by clicking on the "Make a comment" link at the top of this blog.
- 2:48 PM: channel4news We're getting close - the roll call of thanks to all those who helped organise the conference is underway.
- 2:44 PM: channel4news Former leader Ming Campbell defends Clegg on BBC News. Open disagreements and debate are all part of the fun of the Lib Dem conference, he says.
- 2:41 PM: channel4news Away from the hall, it's a busy news day; Clegg is competing for rolling news space with Obama's first speech to the UN.
- 2:38 PM: channel4news If you missed it on Sunday, you can watch political editor Gary Gibbon's interview with the Lib Dem leader here: bit.ly
- 2:36 PM: channel4news The afternoon conference session has kicked off, with party awards ahead of the speech.
- 2:33 PM: channel4news Some very calming classical music being piped around the conference hall as delegates file in, followed by a big globe appearing on the screen to some more lively notes.
- 2:25 PM: channel4news Watch Cathy Newman's assessment of the challenges for Nick Clegg's speech from earlier today - video below.
- 2:23 PM: channel4news "I think we have overdone the despair," was the verdict of work and pensions spokesman Steve Webb.
- 2:20 PM: channel4news Evan Harris said Mr Clegg had not yet proved himself as a "great" leader in his speech to the party faithful.
- 2:20 PM: channel4news It's been a controversial week for the Lib Dems in Bournemouth - talk of "savage" cuts and dropping key pledges hasn't gone down too well with some delegates.
- 2:19 PM: channel4news We'll update you with the action from Bournemouth as the Lib Dem leader takes to the stage, and collect together comment and reaction from both our team and the wider Twittersphere. Get involved at any time by sending us a comment using the link at the top of this blog.
- 2:17 PM: FactCheck Gearing up to watch out for doubtful facts and suspect spin in the speech of the day... that's Nick Clegg closing the Lib Dem conference.
- 2:13 PM: nick_clegg
- 2:13 PM: nick_clegg twitpic.com - Nick Clegg & Miriam arrive at the BIC ahead of his speech #ldconf (DA)
- 2:06 PM: channel4news Hello and welcome to the first Channel 4 News liveblog of this party conference season.