Not just 'Nice Guy Eddie': Lib Dems eager for leader to show radical side at party conference

Discontent bubbles not far from the surface as the Liberal Democrats gather for their conference this weekend.

Two years on from their best ever general election result, conversations with those on the party's frontbench, its MPs, and backroom staff reveal a frustration at what many see as a failure to capitalise on that success.

Polling by YouGov in the build up to the conference highlighted the Lib Dems "have seen no real growth in support since the last general election" and if anything have slipped back.

"We lack the ability to say something new or interesting," said one senior Lib Dem MP.

A frontbencher said: "With the possible exception of our position on Trump, you could characterise most of our press lines as 'a Lib Dem spokesperson said, steady on now, gently does it'."

Others describe the party's approach as "boring" and are spooked by the rise of the Green Party under Zack Polanski.

The party's leadership are aware of the anger. They insist this conference will be a "gear shift".

Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader, told me it would be "a gloves-off kind of conference".