The Lib Dems, who now have 12 MPs having gained four seats at the general election, are currently undergoing a leadership contest, following the resignation of Tim Farron.
Lord Ashdown said that while he had "a wonderful time" leading the party between 1988 and 1999, he would not be standing in the contest, which at the moment has just the one entrant - former business secretary Sir Vince Cable.
"When you leave the stage, you leave the stage... my job is to help my party to continue to survive and to grow - and it is growing now - and to help the next stage."I have seen talk of opening the leadership to people outside the Commons - mostly from the anyone-but-Vince camp.
That sounds like a counsel of despair to me. Besides, if we allow peers to stand for the party leadership, I know someone from Rutland who would get his nomination papers in sharpish.
2 comments:
We should unite behind the leader and get on with campaigning on the streets for councils for MPs for a change for the good for the people and country.
Paddy Ashdown isn't old enough to stand.
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