Nick Clegg used his keynote speech at the Liberal Democrats' party conference in Birmingham to set out his party's achievements in government and to lay out the national interest arguments for their continuing coalition with the Conservatives.
Vince Cable is as aware of the economic situation as anyone in his party and tells us that there is no division in the party over tackling the deficit.
Earlier in the week some of Nick Clegg's senior colleagues appeared to be burnishing their own leadership credentials, and former leader Paddy Ashdown called for the party to be clearer in their purpose.
Lord McNally and Baroness Williams have more experience of the party's disparate membership base than many. They tell Michael White they see no contradiction in maintaining strong centre-left values while operating in a centre-right coalition.
And, at the conclusion of a business-like conference, the Guardian's sketchwriter Simon Hoggart notes that Nick Clegg has stopped using verbs in his sentences - a trait popularised by Tony Blair.
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