LibDem Leadership udate

So the LibDem Leadership contest rolls on with little to no media coverage at all. The only people concerned are the bloggers and the LibDem enthusiast (a dwindling bunch). Without a major punch up it is likely to be off the radar until the announcement. And judging by the contest and the Sky News debate that isn’t likely to happen any time soon. So Ming is going to scrap his gas guzzling car, Hughes isn’t gay, Oaten doesn’t like taxing as much as he used to when in Kennedy’s team and people finally know what Chris Huhne is. Hardly the stuff of legend.

Still, all candidates have now launched leadership websites:

Simon Hughes

Mark Oaten

Chris Huhne

Sir Ming Campbell

No site sets my world on fire but at least they are trying. The LibDems tend to be so much better about internet campaigning than any other party – they’ve even launched their Dunfermline & Fife by-election campaign on the web – so it is good to see the trend continue.

I’ve always said that the LibDems need to make a tough choice between their Liberal and SDP roots and yet they seem to be on the verge of choosing the only candidate (Ming) who continues to believe that they can fight the next election still not defining themselves. Hello? David Cameron has stolen not so much the march as the entire calendar on LibDem issues such as the environment, climate change and world poverty and yet Ming really believes that simply by being Ming that he can continue to control that political ground. Hardly, I’m afraid, Ming. LibDem friends of mine who are leaning towards Ming I have warned. He’ll be a short-term choice to put off that tough decision. I can see why Hughes appeals to the sandal brigade, why Oaten appeals to young people and why the almost unknown Huhne appeals with that Cameron factor.

One Norwich LibDem Councillor told me he’d be voting for Ming because it was the vote that required least though and offended least people. Says it all really.