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| Aim for power, says Lib Dem chief | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Sir Menzies Campbell will use his first major conference speech as Lib Dem leader to say the party must show it is a serious prospect for government. | |
| He will say the Lib Dems have shown this week they are a party of substance who can take on the Tories and Labour. | |
| Ahead of the speech, the party will try to portray Sir Menzies as a statesman in a slideshow on his life. | |
| Set to pumping music, it will show Sir Menzies as an Olympic athlete, barrister and energetic campaigner. | Set to pumping music, it will show Sir Menzies as an Olympic athlete, barrister and energetic campaigner. |
| 'Credibility' | 'Credibility' |
| The 65-year-old's image has been contrasted with that of the more youthful Conservative leader David Cameron or the laid back style of his predecessor Charles Kennedy. | The 65-year-old's image has been contrasted with that of the more youthful Conservative leader David Cameron or the laid back style of his predecessor Charles Kennedy. |
| We're ready to turn ourselves into a party capable of government Sir Menzies Campbell | We're ready to turn ourselves into a party capable of government Sir Menzies Campbell |
| The Lib Dems suffered a rocky start to the year with Mr Kennedy forced out over his drink problem. | The Lib Dems suffered a rocky start to the year with Mr Kennedy forced out over his drink problem. |
| Home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten dropped out of the ensuing leadership contest because of lack of support, shortly before an affair with a male prostitute was revealed. | Home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten dropped out of the ensuing leadership contest because of lack of support, shortly before an affair with a male prostitute was revealed. |
| Sir Menzies told BBC News 24 he would use his speech to show the party had moved on. | Sir Menzies told BBC News 24 he would use his speech to show the party had moved on. |
| It had enjoyed a by-election triumph in Dunfermline and West Fife, Gordon Brown's "backyard" and had come close to overturning the large Tory majority in Bromley and Chislehurst. | It had enjoyed a by-election triumph in Dunfermline and West Fife, Gordon Brown's "backyard" and had come close to overturning the large Tory majority in Bromley and Chislehurst. |
| "I'm going to say we are back in business," he said. | "I'm going to say we are back in business," he said. |
| "The turbulence of the early part of the year has been put behind us and we're ready to turn ourselves not just from being a party of protest, not just from being a party of opposition, but into a party capable of government." | "The turbulence of the early part of the year has been put behind us and we're ready to turn ourselves not just from being a party of protest, not just from being a party of opposition, but into a party capable of government." |
| Sir Menzies will hail Tuesday's victory in the conference vote on his new tax package, when he fended off demands the party stick to its past pledge for a 50p top tax rate. | Sir Menzies will hail Tuesday's victory in the conference vote on his new tax package, when he fended off demands the party stick to its past pledge for a 50p top tax rate. |
| The new proposals use £8bn in green taxes to fund cuts to income tax. | The new proposals use £8bn in green taxes to fund cuts to income tax. |
| Sir Menzies denies the plans will hit middle and low earners but says they are redistributive and will take more from the top 10% of earners. | Sir Menzies denies the plans will hit middle and low earners but says they are redistributive and will take more from the top 10% of earners. |
| "We are penalising wealth but not achievement," he said. | "We are penalising wealth but not achievement," he said. |
| 'Failed legacy' | 'Failed legacy' |
| Sir Menzies will accuse Labour of failing to do enough to fight poverty and say the Conservatives are not providing serious policy alternatives. | Sir Menzies will accuse Labour of failing to do enough to fight poverty and say the Conservatives are not providing serious policy alternatives. |
| He will say: "Labour has squandered their opportunity. After three victories, Labour has failed. | He will say: "Labour has squandered their opportunity. After three victories, Labour has failed. |
| "The gap between rich and poor is wider than at any point under Margaret Thatcher; we have higher taxes but little improvement in public services. | "The gap between rich and poor is wider than at any point under Margaret Thatcher; we have higher taxes but little improvement in public services. |
| "Millions of pensioners remain consigned to poverty - two thirds of them women; hard-working families are crippled by debt; carbon emissions are rising. | "Millions of pensioners remain consigned to poverty - two thirds of them women; hard-working families are crippled by debt; carbon emissions are rising. |
| "And now hospital wards are closing; doctors and nurses are losing their jobs. | "And now hospital wards are closing; doctors and nurses are losing their jobs. |
| "This is the domestic legacy of the Blair-Brown government." | "This is the domestic legacy of the Blair-Brown government." |
| Charles Kennedy won two standing ovations when he addressed delegates on Tuesday and Sir Menzies will strive to better that performance. | Charles Kennedy won two standing ovations when he addressed delegates on Tuesday and Sir Menzies will strive to better that performance. |
| 'Ming's story' | 'Ming's story' |
| His aides say people know him as a politician. Now they want to tell his personal story. | His aides say people know him as a politician. Now they want to tell his personal story. |
| The photos show him campaigning for the party, meeting police, visiting schools and spending time with his wife. | The photos show him campaigning for the party, meeting police, visiting schools and spending time with his wife. |
| There are also shots of him dressed in a flying suit ready for a ride in a military helicopter and of him sprinting as a top class athlete in the 1960s. | There are also shots of him dressed in a flying suit ready for a ride in a military helicopter and of him sprinting as a top class athlete in the 1960s. |
| A senior party source said: "What we are saying is, he's a fantastic Liberal Democrat politician, a fantastic statesman. | A senior party source said: "What we are saying is, he's a fantastic Liberal Democrat politician, a fantastic statesman. |
| "But this is a man with a lot of substance and a lot of background. | "But this is a man with a lot of substance and a lot of background. |
| "There's no reason why delegates would know that and it's an interesting element of the whole story about Ming Campbell, credibility and leadership, that we want to communicate...not just to the Lib Dems but to the outside world." | "There's no reason why delegates would know that and it's an interesting element of the whole story about Ming Campbell, credibility and leadership, that we want to communicate...not just to the Lib Dems but to the outside world." |