If you caught a train to sunny (ha, yeah right) Birmingham at the beginning of the week, it’s likely your fellow passengers were all big advocates of #LoveFE.

That’s right, it was the second biggest event in the FE calendar (the first being the Tes FE awards - 22 March, be there or be square): the Association of Colleges’ annual conference.

Skills minister Anne Milton was, of course, in attendance. Although it’s tough to say how well her comments were received by college leaders. She told them that they must improve their leadership and governance before she could make the case to the Treasury for better funding.

She said: “All too often, I sign off requests for emergency support. I see colleges in severe financial constraint that they could have avoided if they’d have had a strong board and leadership.

“Well-meaning principals and governors they may be but, in this day and age, robust financial management and leadership is the route to a successful college.”

The AoC’s chief executive, David Hughes, had a different take on the funding issue.

The chancellor, he pointed out, had put £500 million into potholes in the recent Budget, and colleges got nothing. He called it a real kick in the teeth, and said: “I got very depressed about it. It was criminal.”

The BBC’s Steph McGovern, who was hosting the day, took the opportunity to ask Milton about the absence of a certain education secretary.

Momentarily flustered, she replied: “I think he’s in a Cabinet meeting, but that’s secret so don’t tweet that out.” To a packed conference hall, who we’re absolutely sure will keep it zipped…