Politicians gathering at the autumn conferences are struggling to find ways of appealing to voters while bearing bad news about the economy.
Nick Clegg acknowledged his party's difficult year in government in a speech to assembled Liberal Democrats as the financial crisis continued to provide a stark backdrop to party conference season.
Vince Cable's speech to his party's conference this week reminded some of Dad's Army's Private Frazer with his bleak assessment of the UK economy.
Next week Ed Miliband marks his first year as Labour's leader as supporters of the party look to him and Ed Balls to articulate an alternative to the government's austerity plans.
Tom Clark is joined by Nick Cohen of the Observer and the Guardian's columnists Michael White and Anne Perkins.
Leave your thoughts below.
