From the BBC, via olethros...

[mrph]

Menzies Campbell resigns as leader of the Liberal Democrats

Comments

[queex.livejournal.com]

And high time. Speak out against undead athletes wielding political power!

[stgpcm.livejournal.com]

Simon Hughes loses my vote

[evilruss.livejournal.com]

I do feel rather sorry for him actually. I have made a post on my journal, but I think he was unfairly hounded.

The media went on and on about his age until it became the only issue that people associated with him and then the Lib Dems generally. Yes, the whole party's policies are no good any more because Ming Campbell is too old.

Well, the media have killed another party leader. Boy, isn't democracy great?

[redandfiery.livejournal.com]

I don't give a shit about his age, it was the fact that he was such a complete non-entity that put me off him. He makes John Major look colourful.

The Bring-Back-Kennedy campaign starts here...

[mimmimmim.livejournal.com]

Last time the Lib Dems had a leadership election, I couldn't help feeling that a lot of the sudden revelations about people's private lives, from Kennedy's drinking to Hughes' illicit liaisons, had come from Campbell's camp. It really put me off voting for the party. (I've been voting LD for some years; round here the only choice is between the bog three and the occasional BNP candidate.) I didn't care about his age, but that dirty election really put me off.

[kittentikka.livejournal.com]

Is this news?

We all knew it was going to happen. The questions that we might ask (might bother asking, after getting over out ennui over the whole matter) revolve more around electoral reform than any particular party. Why don't the lib dems get into power? Because nobody believes they will, enough to vote for them. That's because of the party-in-opposition system.

Discuss, if you want to. But I don't think it's a Lib Dem matter - it's the way of contemporary politics.

[evilruss.livejournal.com]

Don't know where you got that from. I'm a party member and I've never heard that.

I think the tabloid media simply digged into their private lives, as they always do, and turned up gold. I don't think Ming Campbell made Mark Oaten's rent boy come forward.

I just think the media obsession with his age resulted in no one bothering to learn more about him.

[evilruss.livejournal.com]

You may not, but too many did.

Chris Hulne is 50 and the media (such as the Sun today) are saying even he is too old, for God's sake.

[zarbi.livejournal.com]

Naah. I'd vote for him. Leaders have to have a bit of nastiness in them to be really effective.

[mrph.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure nastiness is the word I'd use - it has connotations of needless cruelty. I don't really want that in a leader. I do want someone with a bit of steel who's prepared to make hard decisions calmly, without vacillating or panicking, though.

They also need to be able to intelligently (and quickly) assess complex situations and make their decisions without pandering to tabloids or indulging in kneejerk populism.

To get away with that they'll require the confidence and communication skills to face (and convince a meaningful proportion of) the press, the party, the opposition and the public.