The Vince and Brian Show

The LibDems’ London Region Conference tends to be a low-key affair, even when it isn’t held in a school in deepest Streatham on a cold, rainy November day on which the local railway station is shut because of engineering work. The local party did nonetheless put on a really excellent lunch, and it soon became obvious that this gathering was something of a milestone in internal party terms. Valerie Silbiger stood down as President, to be followed by (Baroness) Sally Hamwee, while the Chair, Sean Hooker, having come to the end of his three-year maximum term, was succeeded by Denys Robinson. The theme of the conference — responding to London’s ethnic and cultural diversity — was itself something of a departure, though the hall still did not adequately reflect London’s ethnic make-up, despite the presence of some excellent individuals from various BME communities who made powerful presentations.

However, the show was stolen — in the best possible sense — by interim party leader Vince Cable (who has rightly won plaudits from the Guardian/Observer stable, for one) and London Mayoral hopeful, Brian Paddick. Vince has Gordon Brown on the ropes over Northern Rock, which is symbolic of a much more profound malaise regarding economic competence within the Labour government. And Brian Paddick made clear to everyone that he is not just different but tough (and vice versa). He looks certain to give both Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson a run for their money, as well as having a street cred among minority communities that the other two can only dream of.