A book has just landed on my desk with Chris Huhne’s beaming, discoloured face on its cover. The LibDem environment spokesman is carrying a placard saying “green taxes now”. So yes, it seems the Liberal Democrat leadership contest has begun. My political column tomorrow is on the LibDem wake/conference next week, and how it will likely descend into a fringe meeting dogfight between Huhne and Nick Clegg. Both feature in this book, which appears to be a leftwing equivalent of the Orange Book (whose market-orientated solutions appalled LibDem membership). This time, it seems leadership hopefuls must demonstrate leftist credentials, which they are doing here.
I do feel for Ming. His party has skipped the regicide stage, and gone straight to a succession battle – treating him like he’s dead in the water. Which, if you look at the Electoral Calculus prediction for LibDem seats at the next election (from 63 to 19), he is.
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