Parliament may have broken for recess, but politics hasn’t paused. September means party conference season: a time when MPs, councillors, members and campaigners from across the political spectrum gather to debate policy, sharpen priorities, and, yes, do the occasional interview on a windswept seafront.

This year I returned to Bournemouth – one of two regular host cities, alongside Brighton. Conference may only last four days, but it is a packed agenda: keynote speeches, training workshops, fringe events, policy debates, and exhibitions by charities, campaigners and businesses.

What sets the Liberal Democrat conference apart, however, is how policy is made. Unlike other parties, where decisions often come down from the top, we operate a “one member, one vote” system. That means anyone – whether a first-time attendee or a long-time campaigner – can help shape the party’s direction. Members can even submit their own policy motions. Nothing becomes official Liberal Democrat policy unless it’s voted through by members at conference. It’s grassroots democracy in action.

And while I wasn’t in Westminster that week, it hardly felt like a break. Quite the opposite. I was on fringe panels, meeting campaign groups, talking with councillors from across the country and giving several interviews. It’s the kind of work that rarely makes headlines but plays a vital role in shaping how our party responds to the challenges people face every day.

One standout moment came at the conference rally, when Tim Farron tackled the question of patriotism head on.

He reminded delegates that love of country belongs to no single party and that the Union Flag should never be left to those who would distort its meaning and misuse our shared history, heritage and values.

As a Scot, I’ve seen this before: in 2014, when the SNP turned the Saltire into a symbol of narrow nationalism. So, when Tim ended his speech draped in a hybrid St George’s and Union Flag, inscribed with ‘Blackburn Rovers,’ his message was clear: true patriotism doesn’t provoke fear or sow division — it builds a stronger, fairer country.

The message resonated. In a month where the flag has too often been used to stoke division, it felt important to say clearly: the Union Jack belongs to all of us. It should unite, not divide. And it shouldn’t be surrendered to those who seek to shrink our national identity into something narrow or exclusionary.

The next day I spoke about exactly that on GB News – about reclaiming the flag from those who would turn it into a wedge. A patriotism rooted in fairness, decency, and a belief that the UK can be a force for good – not just globally, but here at home.

Conference season now continues for the other parties, and while I am back in the constituency full-time, the work doesn’t stop.

Recess is a chance to step back, reset the political agenda, and make sure our communities – and our values – have a voice in the big debates ahead.

It has given me time to knock on hundreds of doors to listen to the issues constituents care about most. A few things were certain: people are concerned about potholes, SEND, and looming council debt in the wake of upcoming local government reorganisation in Surrey.

Finally, on October 30, I received a call from the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, to inform me that I have been appointed as the party’s spokesperson for Europe in the House of Commons.

At a time when Britain’s place in the world is shifting, our ties with our nearest neighbours matter more than ever. From trade and jobs to security and research, the UK’s future prosperity and influence depend on rebuilding strong, practical relationships with our European partners.

As the MP for Surrey Heath, and now as Europe Spokesperson, I’ll be working to foster closer social and economic ties with the EU, to champion British interests, and to ensure our country can thrive as an open, outward-looking nation.

Dr Al Pinkerton, Lib-Dem MP for Surrey Heath.