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Alan Thomson reports from the Liberal Democrat conference in Harrogate

Phil Willis looks set to take over from Don Foster as the Liberal Democrats' education spokesman in the party reshuffle due next week. Mr Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough), the party's further and higher education spokesman, said that he wants to stay with the education brief.

Meanwhile, it emerged at this week's conference in Harrogate that Mr Foster (Bath) is almost certain to move after more than seven years in the education post.

Mr Willis said: "I feel that after two years in the job I have only begun to scratch the surface in education. But it is such a big area that one would be at a serious disadvantage without some know-

ledge."

If Mr Willis is promoted to education spokesman he is likely to be more critical of government policy than Mr Foster, who favours close collaboration with the government on issues where there is no fundamental disagreement.

Mr Foster, who stood briefly against Charles Kennedy in the leadership contest, has requested the Treasury brief.

He said: "If I was to leave the education brief I would find it almost as emotionally difficult as Paddy did to leave."

The reshuffle is due next Wednesday.

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