Ming's departure dominates papers

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The sudden resignation of Sir Menzies Campbell as leader of the Liberal Democrats and his reasons for his departure dominate Tuesday's front pages.

Few have any doubt that - in the words of the Daily Telegraph - Sir Menzies was forced to go in a "swift and brutal coup" by his MPs, who feared electoral meltdown after a string of desperate poll showings.

The Guardian has the headline, "Plotters force out Campbell".

'Booted out'

The Independent under the headline, "Merciless" says he was hounded out by his party.

The Daily Mail and the Mirror tell their readers he was "knifed"; the Daily Star, that he was "booted out".

The speed of Sir Ming's departure, the Daily Express says, left MPs stunned.

For the Sun the absence of a personal resignation was a clear sign that he was "ordered to walk the plank".

The words of farewell, the Times says, were left to the undertakers. It was the very language of a funeral, writes the Daily Mail's sketch writer, Quentin Letts.

Big drinkers

The Times and the Daily Mail lead with the study suggesting people in the most prosperous parts of England are more likely to drink hazardous amounts of alcohol than those in poorer areas.

The Daily Mail says the survey shows how the middle classes in well-heeled towns are damaging their health.

The Times says the figures will be used by the government to target middle-class wine drinkers.

It would aim to make drunkenness as socially unacceptable as smoking, the paper says.

Inquest witness

The Daily Express and the Mirror lead on a witness at Princess Diana's inquest who saw two men on a motorcycle shine a torch at her car before the crash.

TheDaily Express reports the witness told the jury that after the car crashed, the bike stopped and the pillion passenger walked over to the vehicle, inspected it, then signalled like a referee when a boxer is out for the count.

Finally, it seems an afternoon nap is good for your health.

According to the Daily Telegraph, researchers at John Moores University in Liverpool have found that a Mediterranean-style siesta can help drive down your blood pressure and stave off heart attacks.

A spokesman tells the paper that the reduction in blood pressure may be one explanation for lower heart deaths among people who habitually have afternoon naps.