A look ahead to Birmingham's Party Conference season
by Gareth Owen
The nights may be getting colder but in Brighton, Manchester and here in Birmingham, the temperature is likely to get heated over the next three weeks. After a summer of happy distractions, the country's politicians are heading out on the road for the Party Conference season.
All three have their own niggling issues to iron out: dissenting voices, unease, whispers of leadership plots. And while the fractures are unlikely to make their way into public view - behind the scenes in the bars and the corridors, questions will be asked.
Nick Clegg's hold on power is looking the most shaky. His apology over tuition fees, and his reaction to the subsequent YouTube spoof has lifted spirits among some activists, but he remains deeply unpopular in the country. Liberal Democrat councillors and MPs meeting in Brighton (22-26 September) will be wondering how safe their seats really are if he continues to be the face of the party. But John Hemming, MP for Birmingham Yardley, says he is optimistic about the tone of the conference.
– John Hemming, MP for Birmingham Yardley"It is an opportunity to talk to people. It's for party members to talk to mps and for people in parliament to explain why we are doing what we are doing."
Recent opinion polls hint an impending problem for Ed Miliband; more people like Labour than any other party at the moment, but very few of them like him as its leader. The good news for Ed though; the leadership is unlikely to be the main talking point in the bars of Manchester (30 September - 4 October). Leicester South MP Jon Ashworth says it will be all about the recession, and how the country can claw our way out.
– Jon Ashworth, Leicester South MP"I think this year's conferences will be about the economy. The economy is now smaller than when David Cameron took over. There is a double dip recesssion. The talk will be about how we deal with the economy."
Birmingham is the venue for this year's Conservative party conference (7-10 October). It was where they first came as newly elected coalition partners in 2010. A lot has happened since then; the country has dipped back into recession, and whispers have surfaced in the media of a plot to oust David Cameron. But some measures will have pleased the party grassroots, and Jessica Lee, the MP for Erewash, is looking forward to the week.
– Jessica Lee, the MP for Erewash"It's a really busy week . But I have been going since I was 16 in 1992. There is alot of work to be done but I hope to enjoy it."
More coverage from the party conferences will be available on the ITV News national site.
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