Vince Cable aims fire at his Conservative colleagues now, who he says are trying to "reinvent themselves as UKIP but without the beer". Labour, meanwhile, is offering "Hollande socialism - but without the sex".

Vince Cable beings with a pop at Labour leader Ed Miliband for forgetting parts of his conference speech on the deficit. He said William Gladstone once spoke for five and a half hours without having to apologise afterwards for missing out key parts of his speech. It goes down well in the hall.

tweets:, external Under 300 people voted in #ldconf motion. Confirms sense this is a poorly attended conference. Don't know if it's worse than previous years.

Vince Cable, the business secretary, receives a round of applause from activists as he takes to the stage. He is sporting a yellow tie - that's party colours.

Dan Rogerson pays tribute to everyone who gave up their time to help communities affected by this year's flooding. The minister urges the party to support the motion - welcoming its determination to "go further and work harder" on tackling floods and its effects. A vote is called and activists in support of the motion on flood prevention raise their hands; it is passed, but the amendment is rejected.

tweets:, external I will be live on the Daily Politics show on BBC2 today from @LibDems party conference at approx 12:45 BST @BathNesLD

Mike in Burnley: Lib Dem pledges mean nothing, they'll only ever be in power in coalition. This parliament shows their ideas will be marginalised or dropped (e.g. tuition fees).

Lib Dem floods minister Dan Rogerson is now speaking. He opens with a joke, telling activists that the bad flooding which hit the country earlier this year was not caused by his vote for gay marriage - in a dig at a UKIP councillor who blamed flooding on the government's decision to legalise same-sex marriages.

tweets:, external Just spoken on flooding motion & thanked @dredgetherivers for what they did & are still doing #ldconf

BBC News website reader texts: Stop Conservative lie on tax. They hiked VAT which means poor pay up to 70% on retail goods + 25% at least on services.

tweets:, external I'm speaking at @genrentuk fringe on PRS at #ldconf with @julianhuppert & @alexhilton - pop along to Crowne Plaza at 1 if you're around

Paul Roberts, chair of Eddisbury and Weaver Vale Lib Dems, opposes calls for increases in flood defence spending "in line with that needed to protect against climate change impact". That is "totally unrealistic" and "absurd", he tells conference. Mr Roberts appeals for the amendment to be rejected, warning that it "detracts" from the otherwise "excellent" motion.

SW in Kent texts: Lib Dems are kidding themselves if they think they're in power for any other reason other than to make up the numbers.

tweets:, external Lib Dems vote to give local councils power to suspend MrsThatcher's "Right to Buy" scheme #ldconf

One activist tells the hall that the country cannot afford another Conservative government without any Liberal Democrats to "rein them in". He claims a Conservative majority government would "refuse" to spend any money on preventing climate change or mitigating its impact which would be a political and environmental "disaster". His comments draw applause from the audience.

The motion being discussed by Lib Dem activists calls for real-terms investment in flood defences and for small businesses to have access to affordable insurance to protect vibrant local economies in flood-prone areas. It also places an emphasis on the importance of natural flood defences, and calls for the restoration of peat lands and woodlands, and the development of coastal habitats.

tweets:, external People at Lib Dem conference keep talking about mums and not parents. Constantly. Driving me insane. #ldconf

Layla Moran, prospective parliamentary candidate for the target seat of Oxford West and Abingdon, is introducing the flooding motion. She welcomes the party's proposals as "ambitious" but "achievable" and tells activists the motion sends a message to anyone affected by flooding that "we care, and we have a plan".