Meanwhile, down at the seaside

‘Coordination’ and ‘strategy’ are clearly two words not in the Lib Dems book of key words for planning a conference.  From all appearances they making right mess of their little gathering down on the cliffs of Bournemouth.

First up.  The word ‘savage” has now been dropped when any reference is made of public spending cuts, after complaints from Clegg’s team of no experience.  Next, they will not move to means-test child benefit, despite Clegg’s announcement:

We've been able to conduct the review speedily over the last 24 hours - and I am pleased to say that the policy won't be changing.

Then good old Charles Kennedy then pops up to say he is not happy about Clegg’s latest about turn on tuition fees.

This best sums up Leader Nick’s little problems:

The Liberal Democrat leader was filling his car at a petrol station in his home city of Sheffield recently when a young man told him: "Has anyone ever told you that you look just like Nick Clegg?" Yesterday a huddle of photographers was on Bournemouth beach awaiting his arrival. A puzzled passer-by was informed that Nick Clegg was about to turn up. The holidaymaker inquired: "Is that somebody famous?"

Today we get get Vince Cable ridding to the recue after his mauling by Andrew Neil over the weekend.  It will interesting to see if his new property tax on homes worth more than a million pounds lasts more than 24 hours.

Like the rest of us, Clegg will be counting the hours until the conference ends on Wednesday.