BBC political reporter Brian Wheeler at conference

The younger generation is having its say at this fringe meeting on universities. Vince Cable and the other speakers are doing battle with a noisy baby in the audience.

tweets:, external "Airports are not the enemy" - @libdem PM Lorely Burt #ldconf

Lorely Burt stresses that her amendment maintains the party's opposition to a third runway at Heathrow, but would not bind the party "into a straitjacket that we could end up regretting" and allow airport expansion elsewhere. She warns activists that rejecting another runway will not reduce air travel, but instead benefit the UK's competitors, such as Paris and Amsterdam, at the expense of the UK. Ms Burt insists that carbon targets would still be met, "but please don't make it at the expense of our regions", she urges.

John C Vetterlein, Auroral & Magnetic Observatory in Orkney: Aviation is one of the chief contributors to atmospheric degradation, quite apart from other polluting factors caused by noise etc. Unbridled economic growth - implying continual industrial expansion - is unsustainable on a planet of finite size and dwindling natural resources. People in general, and politicians in particular, should understand these salient facts and quit living in cloud cuckoo land.

Airports, passengers and regional jobs are not the enemy, Lorely Burt tells activists, carbon and noise are. She says the Lib Dems "pride ourselves" on making evidence-based policy decisions but notes that the Davies commission into airport expansion has not yet published its findings.

Peter Symes, Hockley: Why with all the pressures on land in the South East, is the Estuary idea not considered by far the best option? Create land, move noise offshore and relieve housing pressure by building on runway sites. It's a no lose situation for the population as a whole. The only people who do not want it are the fat cats in charge of Heathrow and Gatwick because they'll lose their near monopoly and have to work to remain competitive.

Lorely Burt is now moving the amendment on airport expansion, external. If adopted, it would overturn the Lib Dems' opposition to the construction of any new runways in south-east England, and allow Gatwick Airport to expand. The Solihull MP tells activists the amendment is "a cry from the heart" on behalf of England's regions. She says the blanket ban would stifle growth in the aviation industry.

tweets:, external Looking forward to this morning's Lib Dem conference debate on our pre-Manifesto document, "Stronger Economy, Fairer Society". #ldconf

David Laws confirms that, if in government, the Lib Dems would raise the National Insurance threshold to match the personal income tax allowance. He says the party will also champion "real" further devolution, take forward the a green agenda, reform party funding, and protect civil liberties. Referring to the party's single digit polling figures, Mr Laws says it is not time "to retreat from the battlefields", insisting that only the Lib Dems can secure a stronger economy and fairer society.

David Laws attacks the "eccentric and extraordinary speeches" on tax cut proposals by David Cameron and George Osborne at the Conservative Party conference. He accuses his coalition partners of pursuing a strategy to "widen inequality" and "undermine" public services and adds that the Lib Dems "can have no part of such a strategy now or after the election".

David Laws lists what he sees as his party's achievements in government, claiming they are more significant than any Liberal gains "in the past 100 years". In the next parliament, he tells activists, we must plan to complete our historic task of balancing the nation's books. But we will be do this "fairly", unlike the Conservatives, Mr Laws adds.

Conference now turns its attention to the debate on the economy and the party's policy priorities for the general election manifesto. Schools Minister David Laws - who chairs the Lib Dem Manifesto Group - is opening the discussion. He notes that the Lib Dems are the only party that "genuinely engages" its party members in the formation of its manifesto.

@WJBarter tweets:, external I would urge all voting reps at #ldconf to back current policy and support no net increase in the number of runways.

MP John Leech is wrapping up the debate on football, entitled 'Reclaiming the People's Game'. He urges activists to support the motion and both accompanying amendments. These call for an independent review of football governance and for equality and diversity training to be made available to all levels of the amateur game for players, clubs and administrators, and mandatory for referees. A vote is held - and all are passed.

Glynn Sparks: Gatwick have recently changed their flight paths and this has delivered increased noise pollution to thousands of people not previously affected. All parties involved in the debate - political, airlines and airports - hide behind environmental issues whilst doing what is best for profits and businesses that can afford to lobby. No to Gatwick expansion.

tweets:, external Really good debate @asda Mumdex mtg this morning on childcare, GP access and transport #ldconf

The first female speaker in the football debate - councillor Prue Bray - says she is "furious" because the motion makes little reference to women's football in her view. "You have left out women's football and you aren't even aware that you have done it," she blasts. It's a "disgrace" that the Lib Dems are exhibiting such "unconscious bias", she continues, and suggests the motion's authors should go on equality and diversity training.

Sheffield Central parliamentary candidate Joe Otten isn't happy with the motion. He mocks the "ridiculous" line which expresses concern that football is all about winning. Of course it is, otherwise it wouldn't be sport, Mr Otten notes. "Are we a liberal party or a back of the envelope over-regulation party?" he asks. It is an "embarrassment" - and the wrong way to reform football, he adds, as he appeals to activists to reject it.