Photograph: Neil Hall/EPA
These are Happy Days for the Liberal Democrats. A year ago in Bournemouth they had appeared to be caught in the spotlight of their own electoral success. Unsure quite where they would go next. At times the conference speeches had been almost apologetic. New MPs blinking as they were pushed on to the main stage, unknown even to themselves.
Twelve months on there is a confidence to the party. Their 72 MPs have all settled quite comfortably into Westminster and rather enjoy the attention. They are bullish about the future. There are no worries about losing their seats at the next election. Rather they see 2024 as a springboard for a brighter future. Looking to take more seats off the Tories as well as taking chunks out of Labour in the red wall. Branding themselves the real opposition to Reform. A key player in any centre-left coalition.
