Conference Diary: Clegg's low profile

He may command all he surveys in the conference bubble, but it is a long, hard struggle for Nick Clegg in the real world. The Liberal Democrat leader was filling his car at a petrol station in his home city of Sheffield recently when a young man told him: "Has anyone ever told you that you look just like Nick Clegg?" Yesterday a huddle of photographers was on Bournemouth beach awaiting his arrival. A puzzled passer-by was informed that Nick Clegg was about to turn up. The holidaymaker inquired: "Is that somebody famous?"

Is nothing sacred?

The Liberal Democrats were once famed as the best party for feeding and watering political reporters. But the cupboard was bare at a briefing given by their manifesto chief, Danny Alexander. He told grumbling hacks: "It's all part of the cuts."

Good day...

...for the young. If a Liberal Democrat government ever comes to pass, the controversial high-pitched Mosquito device used to stop them hanging about will be outlawed.

Bad day...

... for Sarah Teather, who did herself no favours at the opening rally with a long, rambling cringe-making "joke" about Mark Oaten, the MP who has just published the story of his downfall over visits to a rent boy. She said something about flicking through the Yellow Pages.

Today's agenda

Morning: Debates on parliamentary expenses and torture. Keynote speech by Vince Cable.

Afternoon: Debates on international development and defence.