Sir Menzies wins the Liberal Democrat Leadership Election

2.58.11pm GMT Thu 2nd Mar 2006

Sir Menzies Campbell campaigning in Birmingham during the General Election

Sir Menzies Campbell has won the Liberal Democrat Leadership contest. I am delighted that Sir Menzies is the new leader of the Liberal Democrats. Sir Menzies has the experience and gravitas to be a great leader and I have no doubt under his leadership the Liberal Democrats will make huge strides forward.

Sir Menzies won support of 29,697 votes to Chris Huhne's 21,628 votes in the final round, Simon Hughes was eliminated in the first round. Sir Menzies led the voting by winning 45% of the first round votes, to Chris' 32% and Simon's 23% - there was at 72% turnout.

Sir Menzies victory will highlight the failings with David Cameron and the Conservatives. Cameron has claimed to be a liberal but his led his Party to the right again, he now supports tuition fees again and is shunning moderate conservatives overseas to work with nationalist parties. His victory will also be a constant reminder of the Labour Government's support of the War in Iraq - Sir Menzies was previously the Foreign Affairs spokesperson.

In his acceptance speech Ming Campbell said the challenge for Liberal Democrats now was to lead the party back towards government at the next general election. He said today was a victory, not just for him, but for all Liberal Democrats because in the last few weeks they had once again confounded the critics and commentators who once again wrote them off by winning in Dunfermline and West Fife.

He praised his predecessor saying the victory underlined "the remarkable legacy of Charles Kennedy. The party will be always in his debt." He promised to modernise the party to make a reality of three party politics in Britain. He said he would ensure the Liberal Democrats are the party of innovation in Britain. He will encourage the brightest and the best to join our party. He will lead the party in a crusade against poverty. He said the party would champion freedom, fairness and environment protection, would be a party of democratic revolution, would tackle the secrecy which still pervades far too much of Britain, would be a party which looks beyond our shores, seeking the prosperity, security and sustainable development which is dependent on international action, would be a party which pledges to take power from Westminster and Whitehall to give it to people in their own communities. Ming said that, under his leadership, precaution and consolidation would not do. He said there were great prizes to be won for liberals and progressives. The task now, he said, is to build a strong effective Liberal Democrat party to fight for a greener, fairer, decent Britain at peace with itself at home and admired abroad. That task, he said, begins now.