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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Kennedy given ovation on return | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Charles Kennedy won a standing ovation from Lib Dem activists with his first big speech since admitting a drink problem and quitting as party leader. | |
| Mr Kennedy marked his return to frontline politics by telling the Lib Dem conference in Brighton "the best is yet to come" for the party. | |
| This year had seen the "best of times and the worst of times", he said. | |
| Mr Kennedy said he intended to stay in politics and stressed his loyalty to his successor, Sir Menzies Campbell. | |
| Sir Menzies insists he is not worried about being overshadowed by Mr Kennedy and says he would welcome him back to his top team. | |
| Earlier, he said he expected Mr Kennedy to make an "extremely accomplished and witty speech", with it likely to be "a highlight of the conference". | |
| Ready to return? | Ready to return? |
| This message was echoed by members of Sir Menzies' front bench team at the party's morning press briefing. | This message was echoed by members of Sir Menzies' front bench team at the party's morning press briefing. |
| Campaigns chief Ed Davey, who according to a recent biography of Mr Kennedy was among the MPs who pressed him to quit, said the whole conference "was looking forward to hearing from Charles". | Campaigns chief Ed Davey, who according to a recent biography of Mr Kennedy was among the MPs who pressed him to quit, said the whole conference "was looking forward to hearing from Charles". |
| Environment spokesman Chris Huhne said: "People underestimate the achievement of Charles at the last election." | Environment spokesman Chris Huhne said: "People underestimate the achievement of Charles at the last election." |
| He said Mr Kennedy had "reshaped the political battleground" ensuring the party "can win as many seats from Labour as it can from the Conservatives". | He said Mr Kennedy had "reshaped the political battleground" ensuring the party "can win as many seats from Labour as it can from the Conservatives". |
| "It gives us electoral resilience which hasn't always been a feature of this party," he added. | "It gives us electoral resilience which hasn't always been a feature of this party," he added. |
| Tax vote | Tax vote |
| Mr Kennedy looked happy and relaxed when he appeared on stage at the Brighton gathering on Monday - just 24 hours before his address to activists. | Mr Kennedy looked happy and relaxed when he appeared on stage at the Brighton gathering on Monday - just 24 hours before his address to activists. |
| It represents a rapid return to the spotlight after the bruising events of January when he first admitted his battle with alcohol and was forced to step down as leader by colleagues. | It represents a rapid return to the spotlight after the bruising events of January when he first admitted his battle with alcohol and was forced to step down as leader by colleagues. |
| Some people within the party have speculated that he could mount a challenge to regain his leadership. | Some people within the party have speculated that he could mount a challenge to regain his leadership. |
| A recent poll suggested that twice as many voters would prefer to see Mr Kennedy resuming his old role than Sir Menzies. | A recent poll suggested that twice as many voters would prefer to see Mr Kennedy resuming his old role than Sir Menzies. |
| Mr Kennedy was speaking after Sir Menzies won the first real test of his authority with a crunch vote on his plans to ditch the party's commitment to a 50p top tax rate. |