It's good to know that Liberal Democrat activists still have the power to exasperate their party's leaders.
The Lib Dems' last leader, Paddy Ashdown, used to be annually infuriated by conference motions extolling the medicinal benefits of marijuana or demanding the toppling of the Queen.
These days, however, the party seems depressingly disciplined – almost New Labour in fact – with it's wilder wings shorn of many of its hairier elements.
That non-conformist tradition made a welcome appearance today, when delegate Dave Rickard got up and demanded that the party ditch its conference sponsorship by McDonald's and Tesco.
It could "seriously damage" the party's "green credentials at the next general election," he warned.
Wearily, Duncan Brack, chairman of the federal conference committee, defended the money-making wheeze, saying it in no way implied support for the companies concerned.
"It's better to take organisations' money, use it to boost our campaigns and get ourselves in a position of power, where we can change the law to ensure they are made to become green," he insisted.
Tom Happold
