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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| German to fight for leader's role | German to fight for leader's role |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Liberal Democrat leader in the Welsh assembly has announced he is to contest the post again. | The Liberal Democrat leader in the Welsh assembly has announced he is to contest the post again. |
| But Mike German told the Welsh party's autumn conference in Aberystwyth he would only serve another 12 months if elected and would stand down in 2008. | But Mike German told the Welsh party's autumn conference in Aberystwyth he would only serve another 12 months if elected and would stand down in 2008. |
| On Saturday MP Lembit Opik told delegates he is also to step down as Welsh Liberal Democrat leader. | On Saturday MP Lembit Opik told delegates he is also to step down as Welsh Liberal Democrat leader. |
| Mr German has been under pressure since May's election and the failure of assembly government coalition talks. | Mr German has been under pressure since May's election and the failure of assembly government coalition talks. |
| Mr German, who has been party leader in the assembly since 1999 and leads a group of six assembly members in Cardff Bay, had refused to confirm in advance of the weekend conference whether he would fight to regain his leader's position. | |
| There's a considerable political space for the Welsh Liberal Democrats Mike German AM | There's a considerable political space for the Welsh Liberal Democrats Mike German AM |
| Lib Dem party rules state that a leadership election must be held within a year of an assembly election. | Lib Dem party rules state that a leadership election must be held within a year of an assembly election. |
| Mr Opik, who has decided to step down as Welsh party leader after six years, said: "This will also give me more time to continue working to my very best ability for my Montgomeryshire constituency - my most important role of all." | Mr Opik, who has decided to step down as Welsh party leader after six years, said: "This will also give me more time to continue working to my very best ability for my Montgomeryshire constituency - my most important role of all." |
| He also attacked backbiting. | He also attacked backbiting. |
| "A little more openness will go a long way to making us a more cohesive force in Welsh politics," he said. | "A little more openness will go a long way to making us a more cohesive force in Welsh politics," he said. |
| "I ask you to extend that respect to my successor." | "I ask you to extend that respect to my successor." |
| Before he announced his decision, Mr German told BBC Radio Wales that he hoped members would be happy with what they heard from him. | Before he announced his decision, Mr German told BBC Radio Wales that he hoped members would be happy with what they heard from him. |
| 'Confident liberalism' | 'Confident liberalism' |
| But he added: "The most important task that we have facing us is occupying the political vacuum which has been left by the movement to the left of both Plaid and the Labour Party and there's a considerable political space for the Welsh Liberal Democrats. | But he added: "The most important task that we have facing us is occupying the political vacuum which has been left by the movement to the left of both Plaid and the Labour Party and there's a considerable political space for the Welsh Liberal Democrats. |
| "There is a great opportunity for us because there are a great number of Plaid supporters who are unhappy with the direction their party has taken. | "There is a great opportunity for us because there are a great number of Plaid supporters who are unhappy with the direction their party has taken. |
| "They've ditched a huge number of their key programme policies." | "They've ditched a huge number of their key programme policies." |
| "So now we are the only party which wants to replace council tax with a fair tax based on your ability to pay, which says there will be no nuclear power in Wales. | "So now we are the only party which wants to replace council tax with a fair tax based on your ability to pay, which says there will be no nuclear power in Wales. |
| "And if you really want to pursue the green agenda and make a difference to climate change then a vote for us is the only one which will work." | "And if you really want to pursue the green agenda and make a difference to climate change then a vote for us is the only one which will work." |
| Mr German said by the end of the weekend not only his personal direction would be clear, but so would the "political space this party is going to occupy". | Mr German said by the end of the weekend not only his personal direction would be clear, but so would the "political space this party is going to occupy". |