John Gossage, Liberal Democrat candidate for the West Carmarthen and South Pembrokeshire parliamentary seat at the recent General Election, joined 2,000 other Liberal Democrats from Wales, Scotland and England at the NEC in Birmingham last Sunday to debate the preliminary coalition agreement concluded with the Conservatives earlier in the week.

He was accompanied by his agent Selwyn Runnett.

Nine amendments were tabled representing areas of disquiet within the party. Some of these related to policies, such as support for the Human Rights Act, which have yet to be thrashed out, some to issues such as student fees where Liberal Democrat MPs have negotiated the right to abstain if the response of the Government to Lord Browne's report is unacceptable.

In the end, the vote was so overwhelmingly in favour of the agreement that Nick Clegg quipped that it had seemed positively North Korean and that he would have preferred a little more opposition!

John Gossage commented: "This was a truly impressive conference. Despite the roller coaster of emotions following the results, we kept trust in our negotiating teams."