Stephanie Creighton, Public Affairs and Policy Officer at The Fitness Industry Association looks back on the Lib Dem Party Conference.
On the first leg of my political relay I spent four days in Liverpool with the Liberal Democrats. This was a historic conference, the first in 65 years when the Liberal Democrats have formed part of the government. But of course it is not only a Liberal Democrat government but a coalition in partnership with the Conservatives, some of whom made history by coming to Liverpool and addressing the Liberal Party faithful.
Before this landmark conference we waited with baited breath in anticipation of the political fireworks which could explode before our eyes. Media speculation was rife about potential splits in the party and that conference would be the time for the left of the party to voice any anger they had over the coalition and its plans. But no such luck! Liverpool’s conference came and went with relatively little drama. Only a couple of motions and votes took a different line to the official coalition government position but who expected the Liberal party to vote in favour of the ‘coalition’s’ free schools policy?
The man of the moment, the Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, roused the crowd on the third day of conference with his leaders speech. ‘Stick with us’ was his message to the party, take the opportunity to change politics and make history. A firm speech was delivered which was gratefully received by the conference floor although this led me to consider what he could have said which would have not resulted in a standing ovation?? A confession that he was secretly a Tory who had infiltrated the party years ago and had waited for this day to come? Disappointed this hadn’t happened, I left the hall to reflect on his words.
Luckily I had been sent the speech so I didn’t have to remember much but lo and behold! There was no mention of public health and sport in his address. How could this be? With a public health white paper due to be published in December, the increasing burden on the NHS due to the physical inactivity epidemic, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games being hosted in Great Britain in 2012, surely this should have been high on the liberal democrat political agenda?
But fear not! One Lib Dem Minister covered it. Speaking at a fringe event put on by the FIA in partnership with MEND, WSFF and PSNC, the Paul Burstow MP outlined his party’s commitment to tackling the public health crisis. Referring to a psycho-social-physiological approach to public health, he said that the government had no choice but to tackle the growing number of diseases which were becoming a burden on the tax payer. Announcing that the government would be prepared to use regulatory intervention to tackle public health issues, Mr Burstow highlighted government plans to work in partnership with the private sector to combat these issues with a shared responsibility.
Earlier in the week at the London 2012 fringe event, Don Foster, Chair of the Lib Dem backbench committee voiced his support for the need of a physical activity and sporting legacy from the games. The audience, which was full of local councillors, were supportive and eager to get involved and capitalise on the power of the games in their local areas.
Although we are still waiting for policy specifics, and tangible ways in which industries and local authorities can get involved and deliver, it is clear this is a party (and a part of the government) that is serious about these ambitions.
And so the journey conditions. Next, I will be reporting in on a new labour leader stepping into the limelight and rallying the party for the very first time and a very busy conservative conference who are still basking in their new government position.
Stephanie Creighton
Public Affairs and Policy Officer
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