Campbell: Cautious note

The deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats has signalled that "young turks" seeking to reshape party policy cannot expect to do so unchallenged.

As up-and-coming MPs including Mark Oaten, David Laws and Edward Davey prepare to stake a claim to the policy agenda, Sir Menzies Campbell sounds a note of caution.

In a book to be published next month, the next generation of Lib Dem high fliers promise "provocative thinking to every area of social policy".

While he welcomes the contribution, Sir Menzies says they cannot expect to monopolise the debate or breach the agreed rules for setting policy.

"If this book is a contribution to fresh thinking then it will be an extremely useful thing indeed... remembering always, of course, that the nature of our party and the way we establish policy is done through the party conference," he said.

"The so-called young turks, some of whom are a bit thin on top, may be setting out a stall and I will be reading it with interest.

"But the fact that they have set out a stall will not mean that what they say is automatically accepted.

"They will have to argue it through the party, just as a political party has to argue its case through the country."

His comments come amid Lib Dem fears that a small group of MPs and MEPs are attempting to reposition the party. 

Debate

Despite his caution, Sir Menzies welcomes dialogue about future policy approaches.

"I think parties should be about ideas. If you are trying to write an academic study of British politics over the last 10 years then there really has been a failure of ideas. There is nothing very new," he told this website.

"I think the Liberal Democrats should be the Cavaliers of British politics, not the Roundheads. We should be open to fresh ideas. To fresh thinking."

And following recent by-election victories he goes on to suggest that Charles Kennedy has the authority to lead the Lib Dems "for as long as he wants to do so".

"He was elected on a mandate of one member one vote, had an extremely successful general election, has proved conclusively that when it comes to by-elections he is one of the most gifted campaigners in British political history," said the deputy leader.

"He is highly liked by the public. He outshines Michael Howard and Tony Blair. Charles Kennedy has the right to lead the party for as long as he wants to."