Gladstone spoke at their inaugural meeting in 1877 and noted in his diary that they were “a most intelligent and appreciative audience”. He was not, however, impressed by the acoustics of the room. 🧵 3/5

This meeting gave interested parties the platform to share their opinions on policy ideas and stances. Are party conferences the right places for policy to be decided? Should the net be thrown wider? 🧵 4/5