Liberal Democrat Conference: Sketch: Transferable votes take me into a world of my own

AFTER 27 YEARS of attending Tory conferences as clapping fodder, I was in for the shock of my life in Brighton yesterday as I learnt the first law of a real participatory democratic conference - they're almost as boring and deadly dull as the undemocratic Conservatives.

The Tory notion of conference democracy consists of measuring the length and loudness of the applause. A really popular measure or party spokesman may be indicated by a standing ovation. Unpopular policies or unloved party bigwigs are indicated by stony and sullen silence. Tory democracy does not allow for votes in conference let alone speeches against the leadership.

But Liberal Democrat delegates are allowed to shape, make and mould policy. Before the start of the conference proper I was confronted with myriad policy reviews, consultative sessions, training pro- grammes, forums, rallies, debates, discussions and workshops all going on at the same time. I got the impression that, rather like the Edinburgh Festival, it is the fringe that is as important as the main event.

Certainly the policy forum on the European elections next year was an eye-opener that nearly blinded me with its emphasis on participation. A draft manifesto was issued to delegates, who actually went through the document, line by line, proposing amendments. As an example, "Europe must be determined and pragmatic ..." was successfully challenged by a delegate with "pragmatic" replaced by "principled" and now goes to the next stage for yet more consideration.

That manifestos for an election should be drafted by party members is mind boggling to one who simply waited for Margaret Thatcher to issue a Tory manifesto, without consultation, three weeks before polling day.

The welcome by the Labour mayor of Brighton was the signal that the serious business, a debate on constitutional affairs, was starting with an address by the party president, Robert Maclennan, MP.

And they don't come more serious than Mr Maclennan who was, mercifully, reasonably brief. To describe Mr Maclennan as a boring speaker would be harsh but he is certainly worthy. A rabble-rouser he is not but maybe what fire and brimstone he had locked away yesterday was being held in reserve for a very much longer speech, later today, when he ends his term as party president.

Yesterday there was no fire or brimstone - just a quiet reminder to Paddy Ashdown that the single transferable vote must be the bottom line for Liberal Democrats when Lord Jenkins's commission reports on proportional representation next month.

The debate continued for two hours with similarly passionless technocratic speeches on the various constitutional options and novelties. I drifted into my own world and found myself clapping every time there was a round of applause - a hangover from my conference days as a Tory MP when I clapped any old rubbish from the rostrum. A rival sketch writer poked me as I found myself clapping one delegate's demand for a general election on a petition of 100,000 voters.

Several votes were passed but the temperature never rose. There were no fireworks in this aircraft hangar of a conference centre. Huge black curtains screened off hundreds of empty seats to give the impression that the hall was full.

This successfully reduced the size of the hall by half but no amount of drapes or stage management could hide the remaining empty spaces during the afternoon session on social security.

Many delegates were either on the seafront enjoying the Indian summer or were clustered around television sets in the foyers watching the Clinton video.