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Politics

Nick Clegg or Chris Huhne: no one can change the Lib Dems’ failure to find a niche

Stephen Pollard

Wednesday, 17th October 2007

Stephen Pollard on the Lib Dem leadership race

The past week has seen history repeating itself, skipping the tragedy and moving straight to farce. Two weeks ago a Scottish MP, tipped from his first days in the Commons as a future leader of his party and hyped for years as his party’s one true statesman, stood exposed as a leader with a reputation built on so much hot air, and took a decision which plunged his party into chaos.

On Monday a Scottish MP, tipped from his first days in the Commons as a future leader of his party and hyped for years as his party’s one true statesman, stood exposed as a leader with a reputation built on so much hot air, and took a decision which plunged his party into chaos.

The hype surrounding both Gordon Brown and Sir Menzies Campbell has always been puzzling. The Prime Minister is the most overrated politician of the past 30 years: a prosaic thinker, a dreadful strategist, a terrible speaker and — just to ensure his unsuitability as a leader — with a personality which repels rather than attracts.

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Frank Leader

October 18th, 2007 6:32am

At Prime Minister’s Question Time 17th October 2007 Answering a question from Vince Cable Gordon Brown, Paid tribute to Sir Menzies Campbell. He then congratulated Vince Cable on his temporary Leadership of the Lib. Dems. He then said “If things continue at the present rate of change in this parliament”. “Every single Liberal Member will have the chance to be MEMBER of the Liberal Party”. Was this his way of helping?

stephen Deaves

October 21st, 2007 2:29pm

Excellent article. Who cares who is leader of the Lib Dems? I thought that whoever got the job then had the right to lose two elections. What has happened? The Lib Dems will lose the biggest asset they had as the nice party. They will be percived as harsher than the other parties!

Alan Joel

November 16th, 2007 6:01pm

with 25% of the vote the Lib Demsshould have had approx 150 seats under any propotional system as happens world wide with democradies od more than 2 parties so everyoneelse is out of step !