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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Lib Dem leader 'has to do better' | Lib Dem leader 'has to do better' |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Sir Menzies Campbell could "do better" as Liberal Democrat leader, party president Simon Hughes has said. | Sir Menzies Campbell could "do better" as Liberal Democrat leader, party president Simon Hughes has said. |
| In an interview with GMTV to be shown on Sunday, Mr Hughes said Sir Menzies had "improved considerably" after what he described as "not a great" start. | In an interview with GMTV to be shown on Sunday, Mr Hughes said Sir Menzies had "improved considerably" after what he described as "not a great" start. |
| The party leader had "to do better all the time", added Mr Hughes, and he was "confident" Sir Menzies would do that. | The party leader had "to do better all the time", added Mr Hughes, and he was "confident" Sir Menzies would do that. |
| Sir Menzies' spokesman said he was "not concerned" about Mr Hughes' remarks and did not think he was being disloyal. | Sir Menzies' spokesman said he was "not concerned" about Mr Hughes' remarks and did not think he was being disloyal. |
| "Simon is loyal as a loyal thing," said Sir Menzies' aide but added that the remarks were "unguarded" in the current political atmosphere. | "Simon is loyal as a loyal thing," said Sir Menzies' aide but added that the remarks were "unguarded" in the current political atmosphere. |
| He said Mr Hughes "genuinely meant well" but recognised that "we've all got to do better, individually and collectively". | He said Mr Hughes "genuinely meant well" but recognised that "we've all got to do better, individually and collectively". |
| 'Confident' | 'Confident' |
| In the GMTV interview, Mr Hughes, whose campaign for the party leadership last year was derailed by revelations about his private life, was asked about the party leadership. | |
| "The leadership is always an issue in all of the parties, we live in a presidential system and therefore the leader has to continually do well and better and he had a good conference," he said. | "The leadership is always an issue in all of the parties, we live in a presidential system and therefore the leader has to continually do well and better and he had a good conference," he said. |
| "He did a very good speech, it was meant to be the best conference speech he's made since being leader, and Ming knows that and there's no sign that he's not up for that as a task." | "He did a very good speech, it was meant to be the best conference speech he's made since being leader, and Ming knows that and there's no sign that he's not up for that as a task." |
| Asked if that meant Sir Menzies had to do better, Mr Hughes said: "Well, of course, because he started, everybody accepts that it wasn't a great start, that he's improved considerably. | Asked if that meant Sir Menzies had to do better, Mr Hughes said: "Well, of course, because he started, everybody accepts that it wasn't a great start, that he's improved considerably. |
| "This conference speech went really well and he knows all the time that the party has to do better, that's my job, collectively, and the leader obviously has to do better, get better at getting the message across, better at getting the policy, out better at making sure that out there people understand that Labour and Tory are often the same on policy, we offer a difference. | "This conference speech went really well and he knows all the time that the party has to do better, that's my job, collectively, and the leader obviously has to do better, get better at getting the message across, better at getting the policy, out better at making sure that out there people understand that Labour and Tory are often the same on policy, we offer a difference. |
| "Now, he will do that, I'm confident he'll do that." | "Now, he will do that, I'm confident he'll do that." |
| The Lib Dems' conference week in Brighton was overshadowed by speculation - denied by all concerned - about possible leadership bids by environment spokesman Chris Huhne and home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg. | The Lib Dems' conference week in Brighton was overshadowed by speculation - denied by all concerned - about possible leadership bids by environment spokesman Chris Huhne and home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg. |
| Sir Menzies' spokesman tried to play down newspaper stories that senior Lib Dems are unhappy with the current leadership - and that Gordon Brown's decision not to hold an early election meant Sir Menzies would face a leadership challenge. | Sir Menzies' spokesman tried to play down newspaper stories that senior Lib Dems are unhappy with the current leadership - and that Gordon Brown's decision not to hold an early election meant Sir Menzies would face a leadership challenge. |
| He described the latest reports as "mutterings, not a putative coup". | He described the latest reports as "mutterings, not a putative coup". |