Challenging Sir Ming?

Last Modified: 19 Sep 2007
By: Cathy Newman

On the eve of Sir Menzies Campbell's conference speech, there has been much debate amongst his colleagues on who will succeed him.

Liberal Democrat members came to Brighton to debate policy on everything from the Middle East to a moratorium on plastic bags. But their earnest debate has been drowned out by a hullabaloo over Sir Ming Campbell's leadership. The week started with sniping from party grandees and now, on the eve of the leader's speech,

Nick Clegg - the home affairs spokesman who is often seen as Sir Ming's heir apparent - has reopened questions about the top job.

Environment spokesman Chris Huhne challenged Sir Ming for the leadership last year. He'd be certain to stand again, but today his only public comment on his intentions was a sideswipe at over-ambitious colleagues.

The Liberal Democrat leader's come in for some stick for being too old, so today he asked some 6th form students for advice on how to appeal to the young. But he was relaxed about the jockeying for position among his likely successors.

Sir Ming's been buoyed up today by a newspaper poll suggesting he's more popular than David Cameron.

But there's no doubt Sir Ming's authority has been further undermined this week. The party president Simon Hughes was today forced to shore up support for the leader by appealing to would be successors to wait their turn.