Lord Bonkers' Diary: Congratulating the new leader

This time last week I was happily stuffing copies of Liberator into envelopes, which means they should all be safely with subscribers by now. Which means it is time to start posting the old brute's latest diary here.

Tuesday
I hurry to Westminster to offer my heartfelt congratulations to young Nicholas Clegg on his election to the leadership of the Liberal Democrats. How different his victory was to that of his predecessor, poor Menzies Campbell!

In that contest Ming was the favoured candidate of most of our MPs, of the Manchester Guardian’s leader writers and of the party’s Great and Good – notably the charming Dame Shirley Williams. Despite being comprehensively out-campaigned by Chris Huhne, he won the election, but never looked like cutting the mustard as Liberal Democrat Leader.

By contrast, Clegg was the favoured candidate of most of our MPs, of the Manchester Guardian’s leader writers and of the party’s Great and Good – notably the charming Dame Shirley Williams. Despite being comprehensively out-campaigned by Chris Huhne, he won the election, and I feel sure that he will prove a splendid success.