This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7071066.stm

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
Huhne and Clegg go head-to-head Trident divides Huhne and Clegg
(20 minutes later)
The two men hoping to succeed Sir Menzies Campbell as Liberal Democrat leader are competing to win over party members at a hustings in London. The two men hoping to succeed Sir Menzies Campbell as Liberal Democrat leader have clashed over the retention of Britain's nuclear deterrent.
After nominations for the leadership closed, Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne went head-to-head to explain what they would bring to the top job. Following hustings in central London, Chris Huhne said he would dump the Trident missile programme.
Mr Clegg said he wanted to see Lib Dems secure 150 seats within two elections. Nick Clegg argued that such a move would destroy the UK's bargaining power in non-proliferation talks in 2010.
Mr Huhne said he wanted to build the UK's first radical party and promised to dump the Trident programme. Mr Clegg is backed by 27 Lib Dem MPs, while Mr Huhne has 10. The party's 70,000 members have the final vote.
Mr Clegg is backed by 27 Lib Dem MPs, while Mr Huhne has 10 supporters.
The contest will be decided by a month-long ballot of 70,000 party members.
'Great opportunity''Great opportunity'
The leadership race was sparked two weeks ago by the sudden resignation of Sir Menzies, who blamed ageism for his decision to quit.The leadership race was sparked two weeks ago by the sudden resignation of Sir Menzies, who blamed ageism for his decision to quit.
Ballot papers will be sent out to party members on 21 November, with the new leader unveiled on 17 December.Ballot papers will be sent out to party members on 21 November, with the new leader unveiled on 17 December.
It might be the Liberal Democrat members who decide this contest, but it's the British people who are listening Nick CleggIt might be the Liberal Democrat members who decide this contest, but it's the British people who are listening Nick Clegg
Mr Clegg kicked off his hustings speech by stressing that the contest was a "great opportunity" for the Lib Dems to overcome what had been a "slightly rocky period in our party's history in the last couple of years". But during the first of 10 hustings in the leadership race, Mr Huhne said the UK should get rid of Trident altogether.
"You cannot properly equip our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and spend 20 billions pounds on replacing Trident. We must back our troops and not Trident," he said.
However, Mr Clegg hit back that there was little point attending the next non-proliferation talks in 2010 if "we've already thrown all our cards away".
"We've got to bring the Trident deterrent down to the absolute minimum and use the remaining capability to act responsibly and multi-laterally, not only to disarm ourselves but the world too," he said.
Kicking off his hustings speech, Mr Clegg stressed that the contest was a "great opportunity" for the Lib Dems to overcome what had been a "slightly rocky period in our party's history in the last couple of years".
Frankly there are already two Conservative parties in British politics and we don't need a third. What Britain needs is a radical party Chris Huhne
He said the Lib Dems needed to become an "outward facing party again", reaching out to the millions of voters who "share our values for fairness, social compassion, internationalism, the wish to protect the environment".He said the Lib Dems needed to become an "outward facing party again", reaching out to the millions of voters who "share our values for fairness, social compassion, internationalism, the wish to protect the environment".
"Third place is just not good enough," he said. "That's why I'm determined, if I lead this party, that we should break the stale old grip of tired two-party politics within a decade.""Third place is just not good enough," he said. "That's why I'm determined, if I lead this party, that we should break the stale old grip of tired two-party politics within a decade."
He said it was possible that Lib Dems could secure 150 seats within two elections - the party currently has 63 MPs.He said it was possible that Lib Dems could secure 150 seats within two elections - the party currently has 63 MPs.
"It might be the Liberal Democrat members who decide this contest, but it's the British people who are listening," he said, adding that the party should re-establish its "anti-establishment credentials"."It might be the Liberal Democrat members who decide this contest, but it's the British people who are listening," he said, adding that the party should re-establish its "anti-establishment credentials".
He offered to lead a "people's campaign" against ID card legislation, adding that he was prepared to be hauled before the courts.He offered to lead a "people's campaign" against ID card legislation, adding that he was prepared to be hauled before the courts.
You cannot properly equip our soldiers and spend £20bn on replacing Trident Chris Huhne People's veto
"This is an issue that is so contrary to the spirit of British liberty and privacy that I would not be able to stand by," he said earlier.
"I am willing to do everything in my power to stop this intrusive, expensive and unnecessary imposition on the liberty of the British people."
In his pitch, Mr Huhne said he did not want to become "the heir to Blair or David Cameron's stunt double".In his pitch, Mr Huhne said he did not want to become "the heir to Blair or David Cameron's stunt double".
He accused Gordon Brown and Mr Cameron of being "crass, callow and conservative".He accused Gordon Brown and Mr Cameron of being "crass, callow and conservative".
"Frankly there are already two Conservative parties in British politics and we don't need a third. What Britain needs is a radical party," he said."Frankly there are already two Conservative parties in British politics and we don't need a third. What Britain needs is a radical party," he said.
He outlined his opposition to the Trident missile deterrent, arguing that the Lib Dems should say now that they will not replace it.
'People's veto'
"You cannot properly equip our soldiers and spend £20bn on replacing Trident," he said. "We must back our troops and not Trident."
In his manifesto launch he promised a "people's veto" over unpopular legislation, with a public referendum on new laws if enough people are opposed to them within a period of up to 100 days of their passage through Parliament.In his manifesto launch he promised a "people's veto" over unpopular legislation, with a public referendum on new laws if enough people are opposed to them within a period of up to 100 days of their passage through Parliament.
He suggested that the number of voters needed to spark a referendum should be 2.5% of the population.He suggested that the number of voters needed to spark a referendum should be 2.5% of the population.
Mr Huhne said he would match Mr Clegg's promise to lead a campaign against ID card legislation, pointing out that he had long promoted civil liberties.Mr Huhne said he would match Mr Clegg's promise to lead a campaign against ID card legislation, pointing out that he had long promoted civil liberties.
"I don't think it's right that a government with 35% of the vote has a legitimate mandate to impose something so unpopular and corrosive to traditional freedoms in Britain as ID cards," he said."I don't think it's right that a government with 35% of the vote has a legitimate mandate to impose something so unpopular and corrosive to traditional freedoms in Britain as ID cards," he said.