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Sir Menzies vows to 'get angry' Lib Dems 'have all to play for'
(about 4 hours later)
Sir Menzies Campbell has vowed to get angry on behalf of Britain's "frustrated majority" as he marks his first year as Liberal Democrat leader. Sir Menzies Campbell has said the Lib Dems have "all to play for", as he marks his first year as party leader.
Sir Menzies has faced criticism of his leadership style since winning the race to succeed Charles Kennedy. His leadership has been criticised since he succeeded Charles Kennedy, but he said he had unified the party and now he was ready to step up a gear.
And as activists gather in Harrogate for the party's spring conference, he conceded he had only taken the party as far as "base camp" so far. Arriving at his party's spring conference, he said he had pressed the government on issues like Iraq.
But he said he was ready to step up a gear and move it into a new phase. He said the Tories had "no substance" while Gordon Brown faced opposition from senior Labour figures.
Speaking ahead of this weekend's rally, which will focus on the fight against crime, Sir Menzies said he had succeeded in "steadying the ship" after a turbulent period for the party. As activists gather in Harrogate for the spring conference, which will focus on crime, Sir Menzies dismissed criticism of his early performances in the House of Commons.
'Inequality' PMQs 'theatre'
"Last year was about stability - next year is about voicing the anger on behalf of the British people," said Sir Menzies. "Let's put prime minister's questions into its proper context, it's not the b-all and end-all of politics in this country, it's theatre.
"There will be a change in the party nationally and in my leadership. It is time that someone spoke up for the frustrated majority." "Everyone wants to do better at prime minister's questions, even the prime minister, or Mr Cameron for that matter."
"In the next year I will personally lead parliamentary campaigns and speak for the frustrated majority. This is what Britain needs and deserves. But he said he had been able to press the prime minister on issues like the decision to drop a fraud probe into a BAE deal with the Saudis, and on the Iraq war.
"People are right to be angry about the level of crime in their community; right to be angry about the government snooping and interfering in their lives; right to be angry about council tax and the lack of affordable housing and right to be angry about increasing inequality and poverty. This is the Blair/Brown legacy." There's everything to play for for the Liberal Democrats and that's what I will be saying this weekend Sir Menzies Campbell
By-election victory Tory leader David Cameron had had to avoid them because his party had been left "wholly compromised", due to the fact they had voted with the government on Iraq.
The Conservatives could not hope to address those issues because David Cameron was "determined to copy Tony Blair", he said. He accused the Conservatives of being a "policy free party" with "absolutely no substance at all".
And he said Mr Brown would "almost certainly" become the next prime minister and have to "shore up" his party, yet people who had served in the Cabinet with him were "desperate" to find an alternative to him.
Hung parliament
"There's everything to play for for the Liberal Democrats and that's what I will be saying this weekend," he told the BBC.
Sir Menzies said he had succeeded in "steadying the ship" after a turbulent period for the party and now he was ready to step up a gear.
He said the party had been looking at issues like tax reform, environmental issues, poverty, health and education, which he said were "in despair".
Asked about speculation that they might have to go into coalition with Labour after the next general election, he said: "Let me be clear, you cannot campaign for a hung parliament."
That kind of attack, really it suggests that when you've reached a certain age you no longer have anything to contribute in this society of ours Sir Menzies Campbell
He said he wanted the maximum number of votes and seats and was "deeply sceptical" about the statistical possibility of a hung parliament.
Despite one by-election victory in Dunfermline and East Fyfe, and a close call in another in south London, some have questioned whether Sir Menzies, aged 65, was the right man for the job.Despite one by-election victory in Dunfermline and East Fyfe, and a close call in another in south London, some have questioned whether Sir Menzies, aged 65, was the right man for the job.
The party has seen a dip in opinion poll ratings of between 1% and 4% and there have been rumours Sir Menzies will face a leadership challenge before the next general election, something he strongly denied on BBC One's Question Time on Thursday night. But he told the BBC: "That kind of attack, really it suggests that when you've reached a certain age you no longer have anything to contribute in this society of ours and yet we know there are people who now work long after what used to be normal retiring age," he said.
He insisted there was "no dissent" in the party's ranks and said if people had "concerns and anxieties" they should say them "to my face". "I think it's insulting and if I was black, female or gay people wouldn't make those points."
In an interview with the London Evening Standard, Sir Menzies denied he was too old to be the party leader. He has dismissed rumours he might face a leadership challenge, saying there was "no dissent" in the party's ranks.
"I am what I am. That's what the party voted for 12 months ago," he told the newspaper.
Trident
He said voters needed more time to get to know him, suggesting it might even take a general election for the public to get a "real idea" of who he was.
The most highly charged debate at this weekend's conference is likely to be on whether to replace Britain's Trident nuclear weapons system.The most highly charged debate at this weekend's conference is likely to be on whether to replace Britain's Trident nuclear weapons system.
The party leadership has said it is confident of seeing off a challenge to its policy of halving the number of warheads currently held, but putting off a decision to replace Trident until 2014.The party leadership has said it is confident of seeing off a challenge to its policy of halving the number of warheads currently held, but putting off a decision to replace Trident until 2014.
Many grassroots activists favour unilateral disarmament but Sir Menzies has insisted such a move would damage Britain's bargaining power in persuading others to give up nuclear weapons.Many grassroots activists favour unilateral disarmament but Sir Menzies has insisted such a move would damage Britain's bargaining power in persuading others to give up nuclear weapons.