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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| I would stand for leader - Clegg | I would stand for leader - Clegg |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg has said he would probably stand for the party leadership in the future. | |
| But he described newspaper reports of a secret transition pact with Sir Menzies Campbell as "rubbish". | But he described newspaper reports of a secret transition pact with Sir Menzies Campbell as "rubbish". |
| When asked at a fringe meeting to state his future intentions, Mr Clegg said "if you are asking me would I stand against Ming, the answer is no". | When asked at a fringe meeting to state his future intentions, Mr Clegg said "if you are asking me would I stand against Ming, the answer is no". |
| When pushed on the issue, he responded that "if there was a vacancy in the future then I probably would." | When pushed on the issue, he responded that "if there was a vacancy in the future then I probably would." |
| According to the Daily Mail, Mr Clegg agreed not to oppose Sir Menzies when Charles Kennedy was forced to quit in January last year. | According to the Daily Mail, Mr Clegg agreed not to oppose Sir Menzies when Charles Kennedy was forced to quit in January last year. |
| In exchange, Sir Menzies is reported to have promised to back Mr Clegg as his successor when he stood down. | In exchange, Sir Menzies is reported to have promised to back Mr Clegg as his successor when he stood down. |
| 'Hold nerve' | 'Hold nerve' |
| Mr Clegg denied there was such a deal - and he urged the party to support Sir Menzies and "put two fingers up" at its critics. | Mr Clegg denied there was such a deal - and he urged the party to support Sir Menzies and "put two fingers up" at its critics. |
| At a Lib Dem conference fringe event in Brighton on Tuesday evening, which began with a film autobiography of Mr Clegg, he was asked about criticism of Sir Menzies. | At a Lib Dem conference fringe event in Brighton on Tuesday evening, which began with a film autobiography of Mr Clegg, he was asked about criticism of Sir Menzies. |
| The Sheffield Hallam MP, who along with environment spokesman Chris Huhne is most often tipped as a future Lib Dem leader, said: "You have to sometimes hold your nerve. | The Sheffield Hallam MP, who along with environment spokesman Chris Huhne is most often tipped as a future Lib Dem leader, said: "You have to sometimes hold your nerve. |
| "At a time when Sir Ming is being attacked with barely disguised ageism... the only response is to pull together, put up two fingers and say, don't you dare push us around." | "At a time when Sir Ming is being attacked with barely disguised ageism... the only response is to pull together, put up two fingers and say, don't you dare push us around." |
| He refused to answer questions about entering into a potential coalition with either the Conservative or Labour parties following a general election. | He refused to answer questions about entering into a potential coalition with either the Conservative or Labour parties following a general election. |
| "It would be idiotic and illogical to rule out coalition, but the point is that pluralism in British politics does not yet occur," he told the Observer's Andrew Rawnsley, who was chairing the meeting. | "It would be idiotic and illogical to rule out coalition, but the point is that pluralism in British politics does not yet occur," he told the Observer's Andrew Rawnsley, who was chairing the meeting. |