Rallying round
What on earth did he mean ?
Lib Dem deputy leader Vince Cable has an unnerving habit of answering a straight question with a straight answer. Asked about Sir Ming Campbell's leadership, he replied, "it's certainly under discussion" before adding, "I don't think it's under threat". He went on to predict that it was "very likely" Sir Menzies would want to stay. Not exactly a "stop the speculation and rally round the leader" message then.
Cable is acknowledging in public what much of his party are talking about in private. The 'election that never was' decision has forced the Lib Dems to face up to the fact that polling day may not be merely 20 months away - in May 2009. It could be 32 months away - in May 2010 - if an economic downturn forces Brown to go long. By then, Campbell would be about to turn 69.
The question Cable is implicitly asking is - is our leader really up for that long and that bruising a fight?
The question many others in the party are asking is - even if he is, can we afford to let him carry on?
If the answer to the first question is "yes" and the second is "no", the Lib Dems have a real problem.
I'm 
Comments
My humble opinion regarding the Lib Dems is that the leadership issue is a small difficulty compared with policy issues. How old was John Smith when he died? Death can come to us at any given time. Let me give you two examples. Illegal immigration is not solved by declaring illegal immigrants and failed asylum seekers legal. Replacing the Council Tax with a local Income Tax sounds great, but it is a great idea that it would be very difficult to implement. It would require an enormous amount of infrastructure, huge piles of paperwork and bureaucracy. If this wasn't enough, then we would be talking about double taxation. We would be paying Income Tax to Central government and Income Tax to local authorities. By the way, how old was Winston Churchil when he became Prime Minister?
Voters dislike politicians because they appear dishonest. Brown has proven this to be true over the election fiasco. Cameron will need to be careful if he is to satisfy his divided party. Campbell seems to be the only really honest guy in the bunch - and this will come through at the next general election.
I expect the Prime Minister to go the distance. Menzies Campbell has shown himself to be a weak poseur as time has gone on. He's in a lot of difficulty but I'm not sure his age or attitude presents a problem if he's able to pull himself together. His problem, I think, is that he's bought too heavily into self-indulgent Liberal policies and trying to look hard. If learned to calm down, potter around, and be more statesmanlike, he would be more effective and likable.
Chris Huhne remains the best thinker in the party but has a charisma bypass. Nick Clegg is an affable but a directionless clown. The rest are lightweight attention seekers and big girls blouses without an ounce of torque in their political driveshaft. One can only howl with laughter at the thought they're actually serious about taking on the role of leadership themselves. No, no. That's too funny. I think, the best option for the Liberal Democrats is to get real first.
The Liberal Democrats are an impractical and insular party. They preach saving the world but have little spine for hard solutions, and preach consensus but are deeply partisan. Their pontificating and gladhanding makes them into the vicars tea party of politics. If they spent more time solving real problems and listening to people they would be more useful. They have some clue but keep losing the plot – they have a high centre of gravity and no endurance.
Ha!
It looks like I am the first person to comment on this blog - over an hour after it has been published. I can't think of a more damning inditement than that on the relevance of the LDs and Menzies Campbell in British politics.
Had this blog been about one of the main parties, the comments would have been coming thick and fast!
Ming is a fantastic leader and has the vision and skills to take the Lib Dems forward. The Lib Dems should learn from the damage they caused be attacking Kennedy.
The poll lows are a direct result of their backstabbing.
The Lib Dems lost ground to the Tories at the last election and gained from Labour courtesy of Iraq. It was clear then, in 2005, that the next general election would be a test for them.
They need to ask themselves 'who would be best as leader when the crunch happens?' (And happen it will).
A youngish leader would, presumably, see his career finished.
Mr Campbell, by contrast, can take the blame for the defeat and then retire. Not much of a prospect. But an accurate one.
Stick with Campbell.
I don't think there is any doubt that Ming is up to the job. I saw him at rochdale on friday night, and he was giving a big speech in Suffolk the next morning. He works very hard and is prepared to carry on doing so. The problem is that the lib dems seem to have a problem in that they panick when there is any specualtion about the leadership and often end up forcing the leader out. However I don' think this is worthwhile as the disruption it causes turns the focus away from strategy. As with Charles Kennedy I think it also makes some in the party look very ruthless and cold. So it would be much better for the party to rally round and support Ming- and if things still dont improve in coming months a new leader might be an option- there are plenty of people to choose from but they have to be patient. Perhaps Vince Cable could have been more supportive but the lib dems are obviously more inclined to talk straight and to the point!
As a disillusion Labour voter I've been voting Lib Dem as a protest. That might not happen next time with little (apparently) to choose between the other two.
Ming should step down to give his party a chance. It's not that he's too old (Churchill was no chicken) he just lacks that charisma and sense of purpose you expect from a party leader. David Steel, Roy Jenkins and others achieved much without being in power.
What has Ming achieved? Apart from hanging on to it?
I am a proud Liberal and Lib Dem member, I am proud of the values which my party stands for, I am young and ambitious for my party and the country. Despite this Ming has proved to be useless electorally as a leader, he may have gravitas but he has little else. Ming for the party's sake for the future of Liberalism in Britain go, Ming in the name of god go!
I am a new Lib Dem councillor in Scotland, and I am seriously beginning to question the sanity of many of our Westminster representatives. Firstly, they get rid of Charles Kennedy, a highly popular leader elected by party members, who had an acknowledged medical problem - alcoholism. His successor, Sir Menzies, is one of the most respected MPs in the House and was overwhelmingly elected again by party members. But clearly, they still don't like the decision we made, and now appear to have pushed him too. Are they really trying to rip the party apart?
If there is to be another leadership election - which I sincerely hope is not the case - then there ought to be emergency conferences at both a Federal and Scottish / Welsh level where our MPs can be fully held to account by the membership. Personally, I do not intend to vote for ANY candidate in the forthcoming election - the way they have behaved over the last couple of years, other than one person I wouldn't want any of them to lead MY party.
Ming Campbell is not the man for the
Liberal Democrats Leadership, not so
much too old as out of touch always
talking about Foreign affairs.
Does he not realise that real people
are interested in everyday life and
rising costs like petrol, mortgages,
insurance and the highest taxes for
ten years.
Cllr Terry Farmer
Sherborne, Dorset
There is your answer. It would seem two hours is a very long time in Lib Dem politics.
Sir Menzies Campbell has resigned as leader of the Liberal Democrats, "with immediate effect".
The curse of Nick!!!
Ok Nick, events seem to have overtaken you.
Campbell had neither the charisma of Cameron or the Bullying ability of Brown and the result is that after the high-level Tory-Labour Spat of the last two weeks, his voters have polarised themselves - whether they have gone all to the Conservatives or if there is a double play (Lib Dems -> Labour & Labour -> Conservative is an interesting question.
Although some analysts (electoralcalculus.co.uk) give the Lib Dems no seats if an election were to be called this is obviously inaccurate.
Nevertheless the Lib Dems need a young dynamic person with PR ability as well as being able to control the party.
But who this (wo)man could be I do not know!
There are a lot of question one could have asked when the resignation announcement was made:
• What does this mean for the Lib Dems?
• Who is up for leader next?
• Will this be a shock to the party, or did people see it coming?
• Will there be changes in policy?
Lots of things that actually matter to people, especially those who vote Lib Dem (how many millions?)
So what did the press ask?
"Did you wield the knife?"
Typical.
(You can stick this on your next post if it is more appropriate!)
Joss
Poor old Grandpa Simpson...
Their current poll position doesn't look at all good and I doubt it'll be turned round overnight. I can't see anyone in Liberal Party at this present time having the capability of creating a turn-a-round.
Yes they gain a few seats here and there and lose one or two but their popularity is way below par as shown in the poll.
Maybe they ought to let us decide who we want as their leader rather than an in-party vote, after all they want us to to make them popular don't they?
At least that way only the opposition as the argument.
"Vince Cable has an unnerving habit of answering a straight question with a straight answer.".
How did he get past the selection conference?
[I am very proud to have him as my MP]
Unless he hates Ming, he needs to go to the Alistair Campbell School of Spin.