Quid pro quo Clegg?

The Beeb report that Liberal Democrats are gathering for their autumn conference, with leaders defiant they will not agree to calls from tory coalition partners to abolish the 50p tax rate. It's just what battered and disillusioned delegates want to hear - but if you read between the lines in the Independent, there is also the possibility of a deal to be done over a so-called Mansion Tax.

There are some 15 policy motions on the conference agenda including welfare reform, adult social care, phone hacking and Lords reform. Thankfully for Nick Clegg, there is nothing down that would bind him to keeping to top tax rate. And even if there was, the deputy PM has already shown that he thinks his compliance with federal policy should be slightly selective when it comes to the "good of the country".

Whatever may be said from the rostrum in the next five days, the backdrop to events is that George Osborne (and the Treasury) are just as implacably opposed to a beefed up property tax. Clegg will need to do more that harp on about a 'moderating' effect in government. Clearly the question for him is whether a immovable stand over 50p tax is worth damaging a coalition arrangement that clears favours Lib Dems more than their partners.

Not an easy case for anyone to make when the jury consists of 8000 delegates still wounded by electoral losses and pissed-off about excessive security arrangements.