Ming who?

Although I noted that Campbell's resignation meant not many lobby journalists trekked up to Finsbury to hear Cameron speak about poverty this morning, the general level of interest in his surprise decision has been pitifully low.

It's often not been the main story on the news bulletins and this morning's papers weren't exactly packed full of analysis and features. This surely reflects a lack of interest in the Liberal Democrats as much as Campbell's low personal profile.

Campbell gave his first verbal statements to the broadcast journalists this afternoon. Speaking to Nick Robinson he said that:

• He gave sixty interviews at conference and has made policy speeches on things like council tax, but the media were only interested in the state of his leadership and some were obsessed with looking for anti-Lib Dem stories.
• Several consecutive reports in the press about his age and leadership led him to the conclusion that it would be continually difficult to stay on.
• Now that Brown has called off the election he feels able to do so, and can give a new leader enough time to bed in.
• The Party isn't unleadable, it didn't get rid of him although some colleagues could have been more helpful in public.
• He will stay in Parliament and stand at the next election.
• He will finish writing his memoirs and didn't rule out taking up a role in Brown's government if offered

It's amazing that this was the first time he's spoken about it, if it really was all jump and no push you would have thought he'd have taken more than an afternoon to prepare himself for the announcement.

Deputy Editor

Comments

[ToryJim]

"...disinterest in the Liberal Democrats..."

Sorry to be such a pedant, but the public would be *uninterested* in the Lib Dems, not *disinterested*...

[Tony Makara]

The Liberals are becoming sidelined as a political factor in our country. Something Ming would have found impossible to change. Just as life changes over the years so the political landscape and voter aspiration changes too. The British electorate are realising that real and lasting change won't come from casting a protest vote.

The Liberals have made a living out of the disaffected voter but now those days of spitbowl politics look to be over and if the Liberals want to survive they will have to produce a real political vision to offer to the electorate instead of their ususal patchwork policies.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

So he's going to join Brown's 'big tent' - no surprise there!

[Jim Carr]

Ming who?
Isn't this the chap who, a few short weeks ago, was in front of the leader of the Tories in "the polls"?
If Dave doesn't stop "banging on" about the myth of Kilimanjaro melting due to AGW, he could end up the same as Ming.

[Derek L. Piper]

Thanks Jim Carr@18:16, for adding nothing.

This isn't a presidential system and therefore a third-party leader's personal poll lead over DC means much much less than something similar would in France or the US. Ming is out because of that dreaded 11% party poll. Look up who was ahead in personal popularity before the 1979 GE.

Of course, personal polls do mean something, but not in the way you frame it.

And last time I checked the Tories were over 40% - DC's on track and not going anywhere. But up.

[Felixstowe Fiddler]

If Huhne becomes leader, what looked like an each way for a Tory gain in Eastleigh by Maria Hutchins will evaporate. Voters like it when their MP becomes party leader - expect Huhne's majority to soar at least 10-fold. Sorry Maria, one minute you're in with a chance, next it's all gone.

[Richard Calhoun]

At last the Libdems seem to have come to a swift decision, and surprise surprise the correct one.

The Tories must now start bringing forward radical policies on Flat tax, the Union etc to once and for all demolish the Libdems and intensify Browns agony

Tinkering with the status quo will not be sufficient to win a majority when the elections come.

[John Reeks]

Quoting:
"...disinterest in the Liberal Democrats..."

Sorry to be such a pedant, but the public would be *uninterested* in the Lib Dems, not *disinterested*...

Posted by: ToryJim | October 16, 2007 at 18:07

Sorry to be an uber-pedant, but as well as meaning having no bias or stake in the outcome, disinterested can also be used in the same context as uninterested, and so the editor was right in the first place. Disinterest has more than one meaning depending on the context.

[Dontmakemelaugh]

How fortunate we have been not to be governed by Ming and Co. And so it is time for Decontaminating Dave to call for a standing ovation for the EU loving, Green dictating, climate change taxing, politically correct claptrap, immigration expanding, useless, shifting sand gormless twerps known as the Lib/Dims.

But regardless of these slight political faults (shared by all the main politicos) Ming was such a nice man and in his early days a very fast runner. Fortunately for us neither him nor his party have been allowed to run anything of any consequence since Lloyd George called it a day. Three cheers for Ming and his party's failure. Time for another standing ovation

[Malcolm Dunn]

Listened to his interview.It's all the fault of the media that he's gone according to him. I had no idea journalist were so powerful!

[Opinicus]

@Richard Calhoun

My thoughts exactly.

Action this day - to coin a phrase.

[englandism]

So now it's anyone but Clegg, the looky-likey David Cameron, but with an unfortunate surname if you know anything about sheep farming.

The Lib Dems will henceforth be known as Clegg Nuts.

See also:

'Cleggs (Horse Flies). Concentrated in the northern highlands, these relatively large insects have a vicious bite.'

[Annabel Herriott]

Englandism! You just made an old woman cry! With hysterical laughter. I am a country woman, so know exactly as to the nature of the matter to which you refer. As it is hard however, it wont spread far when it hits the fan.

[m]

Labour copy our policies and the Liberals are about to copy our leader.

Clegg is a poor imitation of Cameron.

Consumers always prefer genuine brands!

[James Maskell]

Whenever I hyear the name Clegg I think of the classic Red Dwarf saying, "Smeg". Yes, I am aware of the word's origins...

[William Norton]

ToryJim/John Reeks: part of the problem is that "disinterested" meant originally "uninterested" (in the indifferent sense) whereas "uninterested" meant originally "disinterested" (in the impartial sense). They have flipped their meanings in the last four hundred years, and in fact probably now mean the same (in both senses). Cf "literally", which is never used these days to mean "literally".

Also, strictly, neither of you are being "pedantic"; you were being fastidious.

[ToryJim]

"Also, strictly, neither of you are being "pedantic"; you were being fastidious..."

Hmm...

Pedant, (noun) [...] a person fond of making over-fine distinctions, or one insisting on strict adherence to or interpretations of rules [...]

In this particular case I'm happy to be classed as a pedant :-)

[John Reeks]

Yeah I'm happy to be a pedant too. Ironic isn't it that a post called 'Ming who?' descended into a conversation about language.