Ming the merciful

Published on Mon 16th Oct 2006

One of the unique things about the Liberal Democrat conference is that the Party leader, even at the peak of his popularity, never has an easy time. In fact, no Lib Dem leader probably enjoys his conference. Having said that at least the experience is "character-building".

Ming Campbell came to this year's conference under some pressure and indeed abuse from the media. That was not reflected the Party, even from the former rival leadership camps, and I speak as one who came from Simon Hughes'. Personal abuse about age - especially for a vigorous ex-athlete in his sixties - was never likely to bother activists - or the voting public, made up as it is of often less vigorous middle-aged and older people. But Ming had a very good conference. Although it was mixed one for the party - and for the same reason.

The Party adopted a new tax policy which is radical and redistributive, as well as green and simplifying. The problem with a tax policy which aims to simplify the tax system is that it will consist of a series of measures which abolish the complexities, which taken as whole appear complicated! Furthermore any policy that is going make a £200billion pound tax system fairer can not fiddle with income tax changes of less than £5bn; more shekels must be shifted to have an effect. So we have a policy of lots of tax rises (on the wealthy and on pollution/polluters) and lots of tax cuts (on poorer and middle income tax-payers). Our political opponents will focus exclusively on the former (how shallow you might say!) and so, sad to say, will most of the media. It seemed to many of us that the best way of selling the policy was to have a relatively "popular" and relatively understandable tax rise as part of the package to act as a signal for the "pain", so that we could spend our time talking about the "gain". That is why there was an intensive and - as these things go! - exciting debate on whether to include a 50p top rate income tax rate in the overall package, to make it even fairer and just as green. I led the rebels, Ming backed the main motion. He won - comfortably in the end, after a high quality debate.

The outcome was good for Ming, in the short term, since it enabled him to have a "good" conference. But also in the longer term it will make his advisers less worried about the threat of party conference which in turn will keep at bay the sort of paranoia about the grass roots which so debilitates the leadership of Labour and the Tories. It was also good for the delegates and activists who saw a great debate, and good for our reputation as a party prepared to debate contentious issues where the result actually changes the policy. Even I survived unpunished.

I still think the new and highly progressive tax policy is going to be more difficult sell without the top-rate tax headline. As my colleague Phil Willis asked the Conference in a rip-roaring speech "Can we see our spokespeople rallying the crowds with a line like "WHAT DO WE WANT? The abolition of Capital gains Tax Taper Relief!! ' WHEN DO WE WANT IT? On the liquidation of fixed assets!! Not really!"

The leader's speech was reckoned to be pretty good by the conference and even by those dark forces in the media who judge these things. The - in some parts - worried about Kennedy return went smoothly for the Party and for Charles who was always well-liked and now well-regarded.

It was the best attended and most professionally run conference I have ever attended so far which bodes well for the future of the Party. Mind you, both the activists and their sparring partners in the leadership are doubtless planning next year's bout.

The Parliamentary party in the meanwhile has started campaigning immediately on the Green tax switch with a set piece opposition day debate on the 16th October and action week later in the month. It is agenda-setting stuff!