Liberal Democrat Leadership contest!

The Liberal Democrat president, Simon Hughes, today declared he was making his second bid for the leadership of the party, as a fresh challenger, the moderniser Chris Huhne, also entered the race. Countering accusations from supporters of other candidates, Sir Menzies Campbell and Mark Oaten, that he was an old-fashioned leftwinger Mr Hughes said he came from "the mainstream of the Liberal tradition". Mr Huhne - a relatively unknown new MP - will become the fourth candidate at an official launch tomorrow.