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02/03/2006
Sir Menzies becomes new Lib Dem leader
Sir Menzies Campbell has won the Liberal Democrat leadership contest to become party leader.
Sir Menzies, the party's foreign affairs spokesperson and the acting party leader, gained 58% of the final round vote. He beat Chris Huhne, the party's economic spokesperson, who came second, and party president Simon Hughes, who came third.
Just over 52,000 Liberal Democrat party members took part in the vote - representing a turnout of 72%.
In his acceptance speech, the 64-year-old paid tribute to this predecessor Charles Kennedy, who resigned as party leader in January after admitting having a drink problem. He said: "The party will be always in his debt."
Sir Menzies said that the challenge now was to lead the Liberal Democrats back towards government. He described his victory as a victory for all Liberal Democrats and pledged to "modernise" the party, "to make a reality of three party politics in Britain."
Sir Menzies pledged that the Liberal Democrats would champion "freedom, fairness and environment protection" and would be "a party of democratic revolution, a party which pledges to take power from Westminster and Whitehall to give it to people in their own communities."
The new party leader said: "The task now is to build a strong effective Liberal Democrat party to fight for a greener, fairer, decent Britain at peace with itself at home and admired abroad. That task begins now."
(KMcA/GB)
Sir Menzies, the party's foreign affairs spokesperson and the acting party leader, gained 58% of the final round vote. He beat Chris Huhne, the party's economic spokesperson, who came second, and party president Simon Hughes, who came third.
Just over 52,000 Liberal Democrat party members took part in the vote - representing a turnout of 72%.
In his acceptance speech, the 64-year-old paid tribute to this predecessor Charles Kennedy, who resigned as party leader in January after admitting having a drink problem. He said: "The party will be always in his debt."
Sir Menzies said that the challenge now was to lead the Liberal Democrats back towards government. He described his victory as a victory for all Liberal Democrats and pledged to "modernise" the party, "to make a reality of three party politics in Britain."
Sir Menzies pledged that the Liberal Democrats would champion "freedom, fairness and environment protection" and would be "a party of democratic revolution, a party which pledges to take power from Westminster and Whitehall to give it to people in their own communities."
The new party leader said: "The task now is to build a strong effective Liberal Democrat party to fight for a greener, fairer, decent Britain at peace with itself at home and admired abroad. That task begins now."
(KMcA/GB)
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