Mary Reid

I tried to take photos of Ming Campbell at several events during conference - with some spectacularly bad results (scroll down to see a couple of the worst). 

Here he is facing the cameras as he made his way out at the very end.

All week the media, especially the BBC, kept referring to the so-called 'leadership crisis', which according to them was the main topic of conversation in the bars and lounges around conference.

Well, I didn't have a single conversation about whether we need a new leader, nor one about who should succeed him - except with a BBC reporter who wanted to know my views. The controversy was all highly manufactured by the media.

We do have a very talented cohort of younger MPs, including our own Edward Davey and Susan Kramer. Several of them will be contemplating running for leader when the next contest happens, and they are sensibly making sure that they are well-known to party members.

This is all well understood; there is nothing covert or improper about their behaviour. Indeed, most of us welcome the opportunity to meet and chat with people who could one day be leading the Liberal Democrats.

Back to Ming - here are a couple of my dismal failures...