Can Ming Campbell raise his profile?
Updated on 18 September 2007
He has been Liberal Democrat leader for less than two years - but he's been criticised for being too low-profile and even too old.
Tougher border controls and a cut in Income Tax...
At their conference in Brighton the Liberal Democrats are gearing up their policies for a General Election - whenever Gordon Brown decides to hold one.
Substance not symbolism
But there's been some grumbling about the low profile of their leader Ming Campbell.
A straw poll conducted by Channel 4 News indicates that many people don't know what he looks like.
But in an interview with our political editor Gary Gibbon today, he insisted that it is substance not symbolism that voters want.
Social conscience
Ming Campbell visited a homeless shelter in Hove this morning, the party's social conscience on display during the annual party conference in Brighton.
The Lib Dems know that Gordon Brown has been making a grab for the Labour voters who defected to the Liberal Democrats at the last General Election and that the war in Iraq will not be propelling so many voters in their direction next time round.
Ming Campbell has also been trying to advertise the party's environment policies at a time when David Cmaeron has moved the Conservatives onto this traditional Liberal Democrat terrain.
Channel 4 News' straw poll in Brighton suggests the Conservatives have made significant headway, identifying themselves as the greenest of the big three parties.
Low-profile = low impact?
The Liberal Democrats backed a partial amnesty for illegal immigriants today as well as a re-think of tax credits, trying to push more money towards the poorest families.
While many credit Ming Campbell with restoring focus to the policy-making in the party, has has made very little impact on most voters.
Hostile newspapers had a field day wiuth Ming Campbell's photo opportunity yesterday in an environmentally friendly house. Today, he played it safer, visiting a church instead.
