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| Lib Dem leader too old, says Owen | Lib Dem leader too old, says Owen |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Sir Menzies Campbell is too old to be leader of the Liberal Democrats and should be replaced by "a young Turk", former SDP leader Lord Owen has said. | |
| In an interview with the Parliamentary Monitor magazine, Lord Owen, 69, said Sir Menzies was, at 65, "only a couple of years younger than me". | In an interview with the Parliamentary Monitor magazine, Lord Owen, 69, said Sir Menzies was, at 65, "only a couple of years younger than me". |
| He suggested Lib Dem environment spokesman Chris Huhne, who is 42, would be a better choice as leader. | He suggested Lib Dem environment spokesman Chris Huhne, who is 42, would be a better choice as leader. |
| Lord Owen was joint leader of the SDP-Liberal Alliance from 1983 to 1987. | Lord Owen was joint leader of the SDP-Liberal Alliance from 1983 to 1987. |
| "He [Sir Menzies] should be replaced by a young Turk like Chris Huhne, who has produced some very good ideas on the environment," Lord Owen said. | "He [Sir Menzies] should be replaced by a young Turk like Chris Huhne, who has produced some very good ideas on the environment," Lord Owen said. |
| "It was a thoroughly good thing for him to challenge for the leadership." | "It was a thoroughly good thing for him to challenge for the leadership." |
| Lord Owen also said a Lib Dem-Conservative pact could not be ruled out after the next generation. | Lord Owen also said a Lib Dem-Conservative pact could not be ruled out after the next generation. |
| "If Cameron has the largest number of MPs but not an outright majority, I hope he can deal with the Liberal Democrats and come to an arrangement," Lord Owen added. | "If Cameron has the largest number of MPs but not an outright majority, I hope he can deal with the Liberal Democrats and come to an arrangement," Lord Owen added. |
| "I think people can see a lot of Conservative policies are acceptable now." | "I think people can see a lot of Conservative policies are acceptable now." |