Ms Williams complains that the labour market remains stacked against women, with more than one million women "missing" from the workforce because going to work doesn't make financial sense.

She criticises her party too, all of whose eight MPs are men, saying it needs to improve.

"It pains me to say..we still don't have enough female representatives and that has got to change."

Wales, she insists, is leading the way with female candidates in a host of winnable seats for next May's Assembly elections. 

In a competitive country talent and hard work are reasons for success, says Kirsty Williams, not a person's name or background. Ms Williams says that was why she and her Lib Dem colleagues "fought so hard" for the Welsh pupil premium. She says it's worth over £1,000 for every pupil on free school meals.

She adds that an excellent teacher can "transform the life of a child", recalling that one of her teachers gave her the "lift, inspiration and self-belief" that she needed.

Kirsty Williams criticises the majority Conservative government, saying it is "a government without liberalism". Lib Dem values are needed now more than ever, she adds.

Turning to Wales, she says the poorest are being let down by "poor public services", as she takes a swipe at the Labour-run government there. She tells conference that Wales lags behind the rest of the UK in health, education and economy - and says this would be replicated throughout the UK under a Jeremy Corbyn government.

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams takes to the stage to address the party conference. She says a "Britain without liberalism would be a Britain that had lost its soul," as she reflects on the party's "devastating result" at May's general election.

The party lost support from the moment it joined the Conservatives in coalition, Ms Williams says, adding that while the Lib Dems were "dealt a difficult hand... we could've handled it better".

The broken pledge on tuition fees also damanged trust in the party, she adds.

Brian Wheeler

Image source, PA

The beard is back at the top of politics. But is that the only thing new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has in common with proudly be-whiskered activists at the Liberal Democrat conference? 

BBC political reporter Brian Wheeler gauges the views of bearded Lib Dems on Mr Corbyn.

Lord Roberts, a Lib Dem peer, is calling for better food labelling so that children can count the calories for themselves. Children shouldn't have to be "maths experts", he tells the party's conference, to work out how many calories they're consuming. 

He added that he was delighted to see McDonalds providing information about calorie content. But he wondered if it could possibly be in larger print?

The SNP has given its response to the China nuclear deal announced by George Osborne earlier. The party's energy and climate change spokesman, MP Callum McCaig, said it was a "bad deal" that would increase energy bills "and cost taxpayers a fortune for many, many years to come". He added:

Norman Smith explains the background to an unauthorised biography by Lord Ashcroft, which makes a number of allegations about David Cameron's student days.

Lib Dem conference will be up and running again shortly, beginning with a debate on a policy motion on public health at 14:20. Here's a look at what else is on the conference agenda this afternoon:

• 15:05 - Speech by Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams
• 15:25 - A debate on scrapping Britain's nuclear weapons programme, Trident
• 17:00 - A debate on party rules

The Daily Politics

Official election artist Adam Dant was appointed by the House of Commons to travel around the country observing electioneering in all its glory, and his work has now been put on display in the Speaker's House in Parliament.

He spoke to reporter Giles Dilnot about what images he added to his pictorial record of the 2015 campaign.

The Daily Politics

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron on calls for a new anti-Conservative alliance or party.

He also spoke to Jo Coburn about Parliament going into recess for party conferences, why some claim he has not been active enough since he became leader, and talk of other MPs potentially joining the Lib Dems.

Green MP Caroline Lucas has described as "truly absurd" the news that the UK government is to guarantee a £2bn deal under which China will invest in the Hinkley Point nuclear power station.

In a statement, the Brighton Pavilion MP said:

A little earlier ex-Lib Dem leader and deputy PM Nick Clegg addressed the party faithful at its autumn conference. He said quite often "dawn follows the darkest hour".

Mr Clegg said the Lib Dems - down to just eight MPs, including him - could be the "comeback kids of British politics" following their general election thrashing. The party could occupy the centre ground vacated by Labour, now led by left-wing MP Jeremy Corbyn, he said.

Mr Clegg also warned a vote to leave the EU could tear the United Kingdom apart.

Here's our story.

Brian Wheeler

One activist is shouted down - at a fringe meeting on where the Lib Dems go next - for suggesting the party should disown the coalition. Simon Hughes says they "absolutely" should not disown it but their mistake was being on the wrong side of the debate on NHS reorganisation,, tuition fees and the bedroom tax. 

Brian Wheeler

Standing room only at an IPPR fringe meeting on what's next for the Liberal Democrats. Simon Hughes is due to speak but is running late. Shirley Williams and Kath Pinnock are also on the panel.