The Liberal Democrats are committed to clearing the deficit by 2017/18. But Farron says it's "unfair to place the burden of ending that deficit on the backs of the poorest and lowest paid".

He insists everyone must play a part, based on ability to pay, adding; "That, George, is what 'being all in it together' really means." 

Time for a pro-Europe message... Mr Farron thinks it's "unambitious to pull up the drawbridge and cut ourselves off from the world's biggest market". 

Image source, Getty Images

Tim Farron's criticism of the the "Westminster echo chamber" and pledge to "never lose touch with reality" is a familiar refrain to anyone who followed Labour's leadership contest.

Tim Farron says all too often the people of Westminster live in their own little Westminster echo chamber. 

He reckons they're not "bad people" but they "see the world only through Westminster eyes":

Speaking with real passion now as he gets to the guts of his key message Farron says people often talk about moving house being one of the most stressful experiences in life. 

And he declares - to applause - that the party will lead the opposition to the forced sell-off of housing association properties.    

As Tim Farron talks about housing, calling for "bold choices" here's a reminder of what he is proposing.

He was inspired by the film 'Cathy Come Home', saying it's about a young woman whose life gets torn apart "for lack of stable housing". He says he meets Cathys in his surgery most weeks - people desperate for a home. And there's a warning: "Maybe your housing situation is comfortable. But the chances are that your children's isn't, and I bet your grandchildren's won't be." Access to affordable housing affects us all because it is the entry ticket to society he says: to security and stability, to work, health and community. 

There's more personal information now.. He grew up in Preston, his parents were very young and went on to get divorced. 

He says: "Lovely people, both worked hard, neither of them with much money." 

He and his sister lived with his mum, who was out of work at times. 

"Looking back, I guess we might have been on or below the breadline from time to time. But that's the mark of great parents. We didn't realise we had it hard until much much later."

She says his mum went on to get a PhD, becoming a university lecturer:

Mr Farron turns his attention to what the Conservative Government has done, since losing its coalition partners. He says it has threatened the human rights act, demonised refugees, penalised working families and abandoned green energy. He says - you know, if ever you doubted the effectiveness of the Liberal Democrats in Government just look at what's happening without us.

And the music-loving Mr Farron quotes singer Joni Mitchell's line "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til its gone." But he declares that the Liberal Democrats have not gone. 

Tim Farron says he came into politics to make people's lives better. There's nothing grubby or unprincipled about wanting to win, he says, because "losing robs you of your chance to make people's lives better". 

"Did we make mistakes in Government? Of course, but show me a government that didn't." 

He says the party's willingness to go into coalition was an achievement in itself because it provided the "economic stability that Britain so desperately needed".

But he adds that the Lib Dems "paid a heavy price" for their time in government "but we did right by our country" and showed the party was "serious about taking power." 

The Lib Dem faithful applaud on cue, as Mr Farron seeks to persuade them not to wallow in "self indulgent opposition".

Tim Farron pays tribute to Nick Clegg, saying his predecessor's post-election speech made "the hairs on the back of my neck stand up".