Charles Kennedy closed the Liberal Democrat pre-election conference in Harrogate on Sunday by declaring the party faces its best opportunity for decades when voters go to the polls.

He said the party enjoyed an unprecedentedly solid base, thanks to the hard work of its founders and its distinctive stand on issues such as civil liberties.

Meanwhile, the Times reports that Amanda Harland, the Tory candidate who quit her campaign in a marginal seat after complaining of bullying, has defected to the Liberal Democrats.