Summary

  • Nick Clegg has urged his party to "hold its head" high and to take the fight to the Conservatives and Labour

  • In his end-of-conference speech, the Lib Dem leader said the party should be judged on its record in office

  • The Lib Dem leader announced new waiting time guarantees for mental health patients in England

  • Ahead of Mr Clegg's speech, activists debated the state of the banking industry and the rights of private tenants

  1. Further coveragepublished at 16:41 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    It's time to bid you all farewell, as we wrap up our live text reporting of the Lib Dem party conference in Glasgow. The BBC's coverage does not end here, however. Vicki Young brings you her round-up of events on BBC Two at 23:35 BST - which will be made available on iPlayer and the Live Coverage tab above. And, of course, there will be plenty of reaction and discussion on BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio 4's PM and the World Tonight, and Newsnight on BBC Two. Looking forward, the BBC's coverage of the by-elections in Clacton-on-Sea and Heywood and Middleton will begin after polls close on Thursday, with all the reaction and analysis as the results are declared early on Friday morning.

  2. Conference highlightspublished at 16:32 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Nick Clegg's speech brings the Lib Dem conference in Glasgow to a close. It's been another busy week - but you can catch up on all that has happened by clicking on the tabs below. Highlights of today's events in Glasgow are available on the Key Video tab above.

    Saturday: BBC Parliament's recorded coverage of proceedings, including speeches on international development and justice, and debates on poverty and safer sex work

    Sunday morning featured a speech from Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander and a policy motion on child abuse, while Sunday afternoon was dedicated to a session on Scotland and a speech by Pensions Minister Steve Webb

    Monday: In a keynote speech Business Secretary Vince Cable attacked proposed Conservative spending cuts after the election and Nick Clegg hosted a Q&A with party members

    Tuesday: The Lib Dem leadership was defeated over plans to reverse the party's opposition to airport expansion, and keynote speeches were delivered by Energy Secretary Ed Davey, Health minister Norman Lamb and Party President Tim Farron.

  3. Clegg speech in fullpublished at 16:25 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    For those that missed it - or want to watch it again - you can catch Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg's speech here in full.

  4. More on Speaker's aidepublished at 16:25 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    In a speech to the conference, Ms McGuinness - a former Lib Dem election candidate - claimed the Conservatives would try to "buy" the 2015 election while Labour would try to "steal" it. Her comments prompted one Conservative MP to write to Mr Bercow, suggesting the remarks undermined the impartiality of his office.

  5. Speaker's aide 'to quit'published at 16:16 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, external is reporting that Justine McGuinness, an aide to Commons Speaker John Bercow, has decided to quit after launching an outspoken attack on the Conservatives, Labour and UKIP at the Lib Dem conference on Tuesday.

  6. Get involvedpublished at 16:03 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Patchwork Foundation

    @UKPatchwork team Nick CleggImage source, @UKPatchwork

    @UKPatchworktweets:, external Great meeting @nick_clegg & Miriam @LibDems #ldconf @LibDemConf #GetInvolved2015

  7. Get involvedpublished at 16:02 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Tim Shipman, Political Editor, The Sunday Times

    @ShippersUnboundtweets:, external Team Clegg happy to have had second most successful conference but Lib Dem minister admits: "We didn't give you lot much to get excited about."

  8. Get involvedpublished at 15:53 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Jonathan Browne, London, texts: It isn't often I agree with Harriet Harman, but her comments about the Lib Dems and Nick Clegg are absolutely right.

  9. 'Just brush strokes'published at 15:45 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    The British Chambers of Commerce says there was a lack of detail in Nick Clegg's speech about the economy, saying he touched on future objectives "only in brushstrokes". While welcoming a commitment to invest in infrastructure, the organisation said it was disappointed that there was no reference to airport capacity after the party voted on Tuesday to maintain its opposition to any new runways in the south east of England.

  10. Get involvedpublished at 15:41 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Jeremy Cliffe, Economist UK politics correspondent.

    @JeremyCliffe tweets:, external Clegg speech verdict: plodding, audience-pleasing, a bit "Blue Peter" but some decent policy points - a classic Lib Dem conference speech.

  11. Labour reactionpublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman believes voters will be "rightly wary" about giving the Lib Dems another chance in government because of the party's record of "broken promises and weakness". Ms Harman characterises Nick Clegg's speech as that of a man "trying desperately to justify the decision he and his party took to back the Tories all the way".

  12. More Lib Dem reactionpublished at 15:18 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Nick Clegg conveyed a "fantastic" message that can be promoted across the country in the run up to the election, says Lib Dem Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael. The Lib Dem believes his leader set out priorities which will "strike a real chord" with both party members and up and down the country.

  13. Get involvedpublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Tim Farron, President of the Liberal Democrats

    @timfarron tweets:, external After my final speech as President from the #ldconf platform I just wanted to say a massive thank you for giving me the honour.

  14. Business reactionpublished at 15:11 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    The Confederation of British Industry welcomes Nick Clegg's focus on mental health and delivering opportunity for all. Its director general John Cridland says: "With the economy back on track, business is ready to play its part to ensure that the benefits of growth are felt by everyone in the UK."

  15. 'Pitch for coalition'published at 15:11 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Norman Smith
    BBC Assistant Political Editor

    The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith says Nick Clegg made a "pitch for another coalition", and tried to carve out an identity that was "distinct and different" from Labour and the Conservatives. But he says the Lib Dem leader's "core difficulty" is his inability to shake off the mistrust people feel towards him after his U-turn on tuition fees, hence the "defensive" plea in his speech to be judged on policies the Lib Dems have introduced, rather than ones they didn't.

  16. Tim Farron reactionpublished at 15:03 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Nick Clegg's speech was "epoch-making" for mental health, according to Lib Dem party president Tim Farron. He says the reforms will be "possibly the most significant thing to happen in the NHS for at least a generation".

  17. A post-speech embracepublished at 15:03 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Nick Clegg embraces his wife Miriam after the speechImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Unlike Samantha Cameron and Justine Thornton - Ed Miliband's wife - Miriam Gonzalez Durantez did not come onto the stage after her husband's speech. But the couple embraced soon afterwards

  18. George Eaton, political editor of the New Statesmanpublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Tweets:, external "Key line from Clegg: Britain "will have more" coalitions in the future - not confidence and supply."

  19. Activist's reactionpublished at 14:55 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Lib Dem activist Ibrahim Taguri tells the BBC there was "real electricity" in the conference hall when Mr Clegg spoke about mental health. The reaction showed how much the issue means to the party, he says.

  20. Get involvedpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 8 October 2014

    Tim Shipman, Political Editor, The Sunday Times

    @ShippersUnboundtweets:, external Clegg was told to deliver the final sound bites down the barrel of the camera for the news bulletins. Back to his 2010 leaders' debate technique