Peter Saull
Political correspondent, reporting from Bournemouth

Liberal Democrats always tend to have a sunny disposition, even at the worst of times. But the cloudless skies over Bournemouth yesterday, as the party’s conference began, seemed a genuine reflection of its mood.

Many activists are just delighted to be together, after the pandemic and the death of the Queen put paid to the previous three Autumn conferences.

There’s also real belief that the Lib Dems are on an upward trajectory.

On arrival at the Bournemouth International Centre, journalists were handed a miniature blue wall and orange hammer, a non-too-subtle reminder of their by-election triumphs in Conservative strongholds.

Image source, PA Media

As always at Lib Dem conference, the official merchandise stall is selling mugs with the faces of the party’s MPs on. Supporters have a choice of just 15; slightly higher than in previous years, but a reminder that at the general election, they will start from a low base.

It’s also notable how many activists are wearing “Rejoin” stickers. The EU, that is. Some members would clearly like the party’s leadership to be more aggressively pro-European.

The line from the top, though, is that re-joining is currently off the table, because it’s not a priority for voters.

So while there are plenty of happy Lib Dems in Bournemouth, there are still arguments to be had in the coming days.

There’s about 20 minutes to go until this week’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg begins - in other words, now’s the time to make another coffee or tea.

Remember, Victoria Derbyshire is filling in for Laura this week.

You can watch the programme live without having to leave this page - just click the Play button at the top.

Image source, Reuters

Reaction to the government amending some of its green targets has not been confined to Westminster, with businesses - car manufacturers in particular - speaking out about how the plans could affect them.

Lisa Brankin, managing director of Ford UK - one of the UK’s best selling car brands - called the UK 2030 target a “vital catalyst to accelerate Ford into a cleaner future”. She added:

Stellantis, which owns Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat, said it was "committed to achieve 100% zero emission new car and van sales in the UK and Europe by 2030" regardless of any delay to the ban.

Jaguar Land Rover, however, welcomed the change, calling it "pragmatic". The company said it brings the UK in line with other nations. Japanese giant Toyota also supported the move, saying "all low emission and affordable technologies can have a role to play in a pragmatic vehicle transition".

The political response to Rishi Sunak’s policy change was largely as you might expect. Labour committed itself to keeping the 2030 ban on selling new petrol and diesel cars.

Shadow environment secretary Steve Reed said the prime minster had "sold out the biggest economic opportunity of the 21st century" for Britain "to lead the world in transition to well-paid secured new jobs of the green economy".

Meanwhile Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey accused Sunak of being "selfish" and “weak”.

"The prime minister's legacy will be the hobbling of our country's future economy as he ran scared from the right wing of his own party," he said.

It’s been a big week for the prime minister - potentially momentous, both critics and supporters have said - with MPs from within his own party speaking out against his decision to delay several key green policies.

On Wednesday Rishi Sunak announced, among other changes, that he’d delay a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035 - alongside a 50% increase in cash incentives to replace gas boilers.

The government could not impose "unacceptable costs" linked to reducing emissions on British families, he said.

Businesses and cross-party MPs hit out at the move, with former Tory minister Simon Clarke saying he feared the plans gave "the impression we are backing away”. Some, however, were pleased.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman hailed Sunak’s “pragmatic” approach to achieving net zero by 2050 - a law-binding agreement.

As always, you’ll be able to stream Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg live at 9am without leaving this page. Just click the Play button at the top.

The show will also be available on BBC One and iPlayer.

We’ll bring you key quotes and clips, news lines, reaction and analysis right here. Stay tuned.

Image source, Reuters

If you’ve watched the programme before, you’ll know how this works.

If you haven’t, a panel, which will sit alongside Victoria Derbyshire in the studio, picks apart this week’s interviews and helps analyse some of the broader issues raised.

Around today’s table are:

• Rachel Johnson - a British journalist and the sister of Boris Johnson
• Yanis Varoufakis - an academic and economist who served as Greece’s finance minister in 2015
• Craig Mackinlay - a Tory MP who is known to be sceptical of the government’s aim to reach net zero by 2050

Chris Mason
Political editor

The pace is quickening. The collective heart rate of Westminster is notching up.

The summit - a general election - is in sight, even if the time it'll take to reach it is still guesswork. (There has to be an election by the end of January 2025 at the absolute latest.)

Rishi Sunak's shift on green policies - revealed first by the BBC - felt like a beacon marking out this change.

Conservative campaign headquarters had been primed in advance and had their social media messaging ready to go, even if the leak to the BBC played havoc with their plans for 24 hours.

And there are other flashing lights wherever you look.

Not only was the man who is miles ahead in the polls glad-handing the president of France. But when Sky News pointed out that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer had said "we don't want to diverge" from the EU if he becomes prime minister, cabinet minister Michael Gove was out in front of a camera having a pop at him within an hour or so.

Where a secretary of state instantly pounced on arguably rather loose language from Starmer, other cabinet ministers quickly followed suit.

The speed of the reaction was another illustration of campaign machines cranking up a gear.

• Continue reading my thoughts here

Image source, PA Media/UK Parliament

While we await political kick off, let’s have a look at today’s guests.

Grant Shapps has been defence secretary for almost a month - it’s the fifth cabinet position he’s held in a year.

We’re expecting Victoria Derbyshire to touch on the story of the week - the government’s decision to backtrack on some of its green policies - as well as the issues surrounding HS2. And, given Shapp’s position, the war in Ukraine is likely to come up too.

On the other side of the political line, Labour's Darren Jones will be in the hot seat. The shadow chief secretary to the Treasury came out swinging this week, accusing the prime minister of putting British businesses at risk by delaying the ban of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.

Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, who’s come straight from their party conference in Bournemouth, has been vocal on the issue too. In a tweet following Sunak’s policy change, he said: “In 2018 Boris Johnson said f*** business. On Monday, Liz Truss said scrap net zero targets. Today Rishi Sunak has done both in one fell swoop.”

Sam Hancock
Live reporter

We’re about an hour away from the start of Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, on which Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Labour’s Darren Jones and Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey will all be interviewed.

There is a slight change to normal proceedings this week. Instead of Laura, the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire will present the programme.

Not to worry. Myself, Nadia Ragozhina, Ali Abbas Ahmadi and Thomas Mackintosh are all here at New Broadcasting House, coffees in hand, ready to bring you live text updates, reaction and analysis.

As ever the programme’s due to kick off at 9am, so you’ve got some time yet. You can watch it live on BBC One and iPlayer or by clicking the Play button at the top of this page.