Tories 'ban' Lib Dem peer Lord German from conference

A Liberal Democrat peer has joked he was "banned" from attending the Welsh Conservative conference in Cardiff despite being invited to speak there.

Lord German said he had been due to take part in a Tory Reform Group fringe event on the economy with Conservative Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb.

But the offer was withdrawn because the Tories would not issue him with a pass.

A Welsh Conservative spokesman said it was "great" that Lord German wanted to come to their conference so much.

The peer - a former Welsh Liberal Democrat leader and deputy first minister in the assembly - received cheers and ironic booing at his own party's Welsh conference in Cardiff on Saturday when he told members that they would have to "put up" with him instead.

The Welsh Conservatives declined to confirm the refusal of a pass, but a spokesman said: "It's great that Mike German wanted to come to the Welsh Conservative conference so much. Looking at the Lib Dem conference, we can see why."