The veteran Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes has been elected deputy leader of the party.
Hughes, 57, is on the left of the party and despite being one of the longest-serving Lib Dem MPs, he was not appointed to a ministerial role in the coalition government.
He stood unsuccessfully for leader in 1999 and 2006.
Hughes, who has been an MP since 1983 and is a former president of the Liberal Democrats, won the support of 38 of the party's 57 MPs.
He beat Tim Farron, who got 18 votes.
The vacancy arose when business secretary Vince Cable resigned from the position to concentrate on his new cabinet role.
Cable has been deputy leader since 2006 and was acting leader after Sir Menzies Campbell resigned in 2007.
Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdsale since 2005, had received the backing of Sir Menzies.
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg announced the result this evening, and expressed delight that Hughes had been elected.
"Simon has been a huge figure in the Liberal Democrats for decades," he said.
"He's a tireless campaigner, a relentless fighter for the vulnerable and marginalised in our society, and one of the hardest-working MPs Parliament has ever seen.
"There are huge challenges and opportunities ahead for our country and our party, but with Simon by my side I am sure that we can meet those challenges and work to build a fairer, more equal Britain."
Hughes said he would "fight every day for the principles which underpin our party: fairness, freedom, openness, equality, stewardship of our environment and standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves".
He said he would work to help the party's ideals "blossom and flourish throughout the land".
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd