Nick Robinson
Political editor

The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson says it will be hard for the Lib Dems to form a new coalition with a party they have just accused of "lying" over the economy. While a lot of Mr Cable's attacks were typical conference knockabout, Nick Robinson says it is difficult for the two parties to "paper over the cracks" emerging on key policies.

BBC Radio 4

Lib Dem MP Bob Russell tells BBC Radio 4's The World at One that he "gets annoyed" with the Conservatives for "nicking" their policies - such as raising the threshold at which people start paying income tax. He urges his party to "shout from the rooftops" about its achievements in office.

The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith says Mr Cable's support for more borrowing and his opposition to welfare cuts illustrated the Lib Dems' desire to differentiate themselves from the Conservatives in an increasingly "abrasive" way.

Brian Wheeler, political reporter

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle is winning the battle of the badges after a bevy of female fans - or possibly members of his staff - bought a job lot at the merchandise stand in Glasgow. North Cornwall MP Dan Rogerson is also proving very popular, staff say.

tweets:, external "Do you hate Labour as well?" asks @afneil. "Yes of course I do" says @paddyashdown "I hate anybody who wrecks the economy & destroys jobs"

tweets:, external After trebling tuition fees, VAT hike & unfair bedroom tax I suspect no one believes a word being spoken at Lib Dems' farewell conference

We have a real record of achievement in government, Vince Cable tells the conference hall. He says that despite the "difficult circumstances" the party has brought "compassion, common sense and competence" into government - and should be proud of it. "We have maintained our liberal and social democratic values in doing so, and we have stood up to the born-to-rule arrogance of our coalition partners as well as the narrow tribalism of the Labour opposition," he tells activists.

Vince Cable backs George Osborne's efforts to stop multinational corporations operating tax avoidance schemes, declaring that there is no future for Britain as a "tax haven". He goes on to list what he sees as Lib Dem achievements in office, including the introduction of shared parental leave, for all employees to request flexible working and for more equality in boardrooms. He says the Lib Dems stopped the Conservatives' bringing in "ruthless hire and fire legislation".

Defending the benefits of immigration, Vince Cable says the vast majority of migrants coming to the UK have brought "tangible benefits" to the economy. He stresses abuse of the system and "benefit tourism" must be dealt with - but not at the expense of the EU single market, and its free movement of workers.

In another attack on the Conservatives, Vince Cable says the party is "horribly torn between open economic liberalism and their inward looking, UKIP-facing grassroots". He dismisses the Tories' net migration target as "totally unenforceable". He says it penalises overseas students, whose fees "subsidise British students and earn £9bn a year for the UK" - but claims there is "always a warm welcome... for dodgy billionaires willing to make a large party donation for a game of tennis with Boris and Dave".

Vince Cable says the "politics of identity" is on the march in many parts of the world including in the UK, and that the Lib Dems have a responsibility to be the "voice of sanity, seriousness and sense" and to stand up to "purveyors of panic, prejudice and pessimism".

Vince Cable says the Lib Dems' interventions have improved the banking system, and that more SMEs have better access to finance. The Green Investment Bank has committed over £1.4bn to green projects too, he adds.

More taxes will be needed to balance the books and address inequality, Vince Cable tells the Lib Dem conference. "Any politician who tells you that the next government can balance the budget and avoid tax increases is lying to you," he adds.

Vince Cable says that while the budget deficit remains, budget discipline mustn't become "an obsession with ever deeper cuts in public spending". He accuses the Conservatives of being "ideologically obsessed by cuts" because they see it as a way of "destroying public services and the welfare state, which they detest". He says he will "categorically not go along with" Conservative proposals for another £25bn of cuts, from the welfare budget and other government departments.

Vince Cable says the coalition has steered the economy to recovery but warns that the economy is "still dangerously dependent on the drug of cheap money". Factors which preceded the crisis - such as housing inflation and mortgage debt are still with us, he adds.

Vince Cable tells activists: "We are accused of abandoning progressive politics. We haven't. What we have abandoned is the politics of perpetual protest. Nick Clegg's biggest achievement as party leader has been to make that major transformation."

Vince Cable praises the Lib Dems' record in government, telling activists the party has cut taxes for the lowest paid. He reminds activists of the reasons for entering into coalition with the Conservatives, who voters chose in 2010 as the largest party. "We have been a major engine of reform, not just a brake on their extremes," he says.