Lib Dem leadership embarrassed by housing defeat

The Lib Dem conference is still in full swing in Bournemouth and the party’s long-suffering activists seem to have something of a spring in their step. After a triumphant local elections and a quartet of by-election victories, the party looks set to double their parliamentary contingent, come next year’s contest. Lib Dem aspirations in the Blue Wall were demonstrated by leader Ed Davey’s visit to a Winchester farm this morning to pose with various sheep in front of the assembled snappers. Talk about Have I Got Ewe for News…

But not all has gone Davey’s way. A big battle was waged over a motion to scrap the party’s plan to scrap their existing housing target to try and attract new voters in the true-blue Tory shires. The highlight of the day was Tim Farron, Davey’s predecessor, being wheeled out to attack the Lib Dem youth wing for proposing an amendment to restore the 380,000 a year target.