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| Contenders: Lib Dem leadership | Contenders: Lib Dem leadership |
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| Fridge magnets featuring Lib Dem MPs proved popular at their conferenceHere are the likely runners and riders to succeed Sir Menzies Campbell as Liberal Democrat leader: | Fridge magnets featuring Lib Dem MPs proved popular at their conferenceHere are the likely runners and riders to succeed Sir Menzies Campbell as Liberal Democrat leader: |
| NICK CLEGG | NICK CLEGG |
| The party's home affairs spokesman was elected to Parliament in 2005, at the age of 38, and is one of the two front-runners for the leadership. | |
| An effective television performer on the economically liberal right of the party, Mr Clegg, now 40, has carved out a home affairs policy distinct from the "tough liberalism" of his predecessor in the role, Mark Oaten. | |
| An expert skier, who speaks five European languages, he cut his political teeth as an adviser to European Commissioner Leon Brittan before spending five years as a Lib Dem MEP, during which he pushed for reform of procedures in the European Parliament. | An expert skier, who speaks five European languages, he cut his political teeth as an adviser to European Commissioner Leon Brittan before spending five years as a Lib Dem MEP, during which he pushed for reform of procedures in the European Parliament. |
| What he says about running: | |
| During the party conference in September he said he would probably stand for the leadership "if there was a vacancy". | During the party conference in September he said he would probably stand for the leadership "if there was a vacancy". |
| On Tuesday he said: "Events have been very, very sudden. They've taken me by surprise... Miriam (his wife) and I, we need to talk to each other." | |
| Ladbrokes odds: 4/7 | |
| CHRIS HUHNE | CHRIS HUHNE |
| One of a batch of ambitious MPs elected in 2005, his profile soared when he challenged for the party leadership, coming second to Sir Menzies, in 2006. | |
| A former economics journalist and businessman, the 53-year-old was the Lib Dems' deputy economics spokesman before his move to the environment brief. | |
| Mr Huhne was an MEP from 1999 to 2005, before becoming MP for Eastleigh. Educated at Westminster School, the Sorbonne and Magdalen College, Oxford, he has written four books. | Mr Huhne was an MEP from 1999 to 2005, before becoming MP for Eastleigh. Educated at Westminster School, the Sorbonne and Magdalen College, Oxford, he has written four books. |
| What he says about running: | |
| Asked about his leadership ambitions in September, he said: "There is no vacancy and it would be premature to even talk about the possibility as there is no vacancy. I am not a sort of Michael Heseltine figure who plans their route map to Downing Street from the day they come out of nappies. I wait for opportunities and decide at the time." | Asked about his leadership ambitions in September, he said: "There is no vacancy and it would be premature to even talk about the possibility as there is no vacancy. I am not a sort of Michael Heseltine figure who plans their route map to Downing Street from the day they come out of nappies. I wait for opportunities and decide at the time." |
| On Tuesday he said: "I will obviously be discussing things with friends and I will make a statement in due course." | |
| Ladbrokes odds: 11/4 | |
| DAVID LAWS | DAVID LAWS |
| After gaining a double first in maths at Cambridge the 41-year-old had a high-flying career in banking before entering Parliament in 2001 as MP for Yeovil - the seat of former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown. | |
| He is seen as being on the economically liberal right of the party and was one of the MPs behind The Orange Book - setting out a more free market approach to Lib Dem policy. | He is seen as being on the economically liberal right of the party and was one of the MPs behind The Orange Book - setting out a more free market approach to Lib Dem policy. |
| But he rebuffed an attempt by the Conservatives to poach him in March 2007, reportedly telling George Osborne he was "not a Tory". | But he rebuffed an attempt by the Conservatives to poach him in March 2007, reportedly telling George Osborne he was "not a Tory". |
| He impressed Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell with his mastery of the unglamorous work and pensions brief and was rewarded in the July 2007 reshuffle with the newly-created post of children, schools and families spokesman. | He impressed Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell with his mastery of the unglamorous work and pensions brief and was rewarded in the July 2007 reshuffle with the newly-created post of children, schools and families spokesman. |
| What he says about running: | |
| Mr Laws has yet to say anything publicly since Sir Menzies announced his resignation. | |
| Ladbrokes odds: 12/1 | |
| CHARLES KENNEDY | |
| The party's most electorally successful leader for 80 years, he was forced out after a rebellion by members of his front bench team. | |
| He took over the top job in 1999, after the party had achieved a breakthrough at the 1997 general election with 46 MPs elected. | |
| He built on that success, making impressive gains in local government and gaining the party a real taste of power in Scotland. In 2005 the party saw 62 MPs elected - its highest tally since the 1920s. | |
| Now 47, he stepped down in early 2006 after a rebellion by members of his front bench team and admitting to a drink problem, but is still held in high regard by many Liberal Democrats across the country. | |
| What he says about running: | |
| Back in August he said: "When you have been the leader of a national political party obviously you know what is involved, you are still of an age where you have got something to contribute, but you don't have the relentless and remorseless demands upon you in quite the same way." | |
| There has been no public comment since Sir Menzies' decision to quit was announced. | |
| Ladbrokes odds: 16/1 | |
| VINCENT CABLE | |
| A Lib Dem heavyweight, the 64-year-old deputy leader and Treasury spokesman has been credited with giving the party's economic policies a new edge. | |
| He began his political life with Labour, leaving when the party lurched leftwards in the early 1980s to join the SDP and has pursued a successful career outside politics - he was chief economist for oil giant Shell International. | |
| The Twickenham MP first won his seat in 1997 after running for Parliament at every previous election since 1983. Before covering his current front bench brief he was trade and industry spokesman. | |
| He was a key supporter of Sir Menzies Campbell's successful party leadership campaign and was rewarded with the position of deputy leader. He takes over the leadership in a caretaker role while a leadership contest takes place. | |
| What he says about running: | |
| On Tuesday he told the BBC: "I am not ruling anything in or out. Who goes forward is up to the parliamentary party." | |
| Ladbrokes odds: 16/1 | |
| STEVE WEBB | STEVE WEBB |
| The 42-year-old Northavon MP is currently charged with drawing up the Liberal Democrat manifesto and is seen as a popular figure, particularly on the left of the party. | The 42-year-old Northavon MP is currently charged with drawing up the Liberal Democrat manifesto and is seen as a popular figure, particularly on the left of the party. |
| A big fan of social networking sites as a way of engaging with younger voters, he has 1,000 "friends" on his own Facebook page. | A big fan of social networking sites as a way of engaging with younger voters, he has 1,000 "friends" on his own Facebook page. |
| A former economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, he was appointed professor of social policy at Bath University shortly before his election victory in 1997 and has published several books and pamphlets on social security. | A former economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, he was appointed professor of social policy at Bath University shortly before his election victory in 1997 and has published several books and pamphlets on social security. |
| He is a committed Christian, has an interest in poverty alleviation and is one of the leading voices of the campaign for third world debt relief. | He is a committed Christian, has an interest in poverty alleviation and is one of the leading voices of the campaign for third world debt relief. |
| What he says about running: | |
| He says: "I'm talking to colleagues and I'll make a decision, probably later in the week." | |
| Ladbrokes odds: 16/1 | |
| EDWARD DAVEY | |
| An economics expert, who has been tipped as a future party leader, the 41-year-old is given to making detailed, forensic speeches on tax and finance policies. | |
| He was formerly the Lib Dem spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, has served as a junior Treasury spokesman and was leader of the Lib Dem London Group. | |
| His previous job was as party trade and industry spokesman - he is currently chief of staff and campaigns co-ordinator. | |
| An MP since 1997, he is also the holder of an award for bravery after saving a woman who had fallen onto the tracks at a London train station. | |
| What he says about running: | |
| He told the BBC on Tuesday that "today is a day to celebrate Menzies' leadership". He refused to say whether he would stand, suggesting he would be talking to friends, family and colleagues before making any decision. | |
| Ladbrokes odds: 25/1 | |
| SUSAN KRAMER | |
| A former City high-flyer, who was vice-president of a leading international bank before starting her own company to work on transport projects in Eastern Europe, the 57-year-old was appointed to the Lib Dem treasury team after entering Parliament as MP for Richmond Park in 2005. | |
| A former president of the Oxford Union, she has sometimes been tipped as a future party leader, despite coming fourth in the contest to be London mayor in 2000. She is now Transport spokeswoman. | |
| She has campaigned against the privatisation of the underground and was a member of the board of Transport for London. | |
| She also contributed a chapter to the Orange Book, which set out a free market policy agenda for the party. | |
| What she says about running: | |
| On Tuesday she told the BBC: "I'm in the process of chatting with friends about this. It would be nice to see a woman in the line-up. There are a lot of implications for personal life as well." | |
| Ladbrokes odds: 33/1 | |
| RULED OUT: SIMON HUGHES | RULED OUT: SIMON HUGHES |
| A popular figure with the Lib Dem grassroots, the party president has twice stood for the party leadership, losing out to Sir Menzies and Charles Kennedy but asked whether he would stand this time, he told the BBC: "That's a categorical 'no'". | A popular figure with the Lib Dem grassroots, the party president has twice stood for the party leadership, losing out to Sir Menzies and Charles Kennedy but asked whether he would stand this time, he told the BBC: "That's a categorical 'no'". |
| The North Southwark and Bermondsey MP, 56, also stood unsuccessfully against Ken Livingstone for London mayor in May 2004, coming third. | |
| A barrister by profession, he is known for his views on civil liberties and has served as the party's justice spokesman. | A barrister by profession, he is known for his views on civil liberties and has served as the party's justice spokesman. |
| He is also an anti-nuclear campaigner, although his public backing for Sir Menzies Campbell's "wait and see" policy on replacing Trident helped the party leader win a crucial conference vote in 2007. He had recently had warned Sir Menzies to "do better, get better at getting the message across better, at getting the policy out better." | He is also an anti-nuclear campaigner, although his public backing for Sir Menzies Campbell's "wait and see" policy on replacing Trident helped the party leader win a crucial conference vote in 2007. He had recently had warned Sir Menzies to "do better, get better at getting the message across better, at getting the policy out better." |
| What he says about running: | |
| Simon Hughes - who strongly rejected wielding the knife against Sir Menzies - has categorically ruled out standing this time round. |