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| Contenders: Lib Dem leadership | Contenders: Lib Dem leadership |
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| Here are the likely runners and riders to succeed Sir Menzies Campbell as Liberal Democrat leader: | Here are the likely runners and riders to succeed Sir Menzies Campbell as Liberal Democrat leader: |
| VINCENT CABLE | |
| A Lib Dem heavyweight, the deputy leader and Treasury spokesman has been credited with giving the party's economic policies a new edge. | |
| He began his political life with Labour, leaving when the party lurched leftwards in the early 1980s to join the SDP and has pursued a successful career outside politics - he was chief economist for oil giant Shell International. | |
| The Twickenham MP first won his seat in 1997 after running for Parliament at every previous election since 1983. Before covering his current front bench brief he was trade and industry spokesman. | |
| He was a key supporter of Sir Menzies Campbell's successful party leadership campaign and was rewarded with the position of deputy leader. He takes over the leadership in a caretaker role while a leadership contest takes place. | |
| NICK CLEGG | NICK CLEGG |
| The party's home affairs spokesman was elected to Parliament in 2005, at the age of 38, and has been widely tipped as a potential future leader. | The party's home affairs spokesman was elected to Parliament in 2005, at the age of 38, and has been widely tipped as a potential future leader. |
| An effective television performer on the economically liberal right of the party, he has carved out a home affairs policy distinct from the "tough liberalism" of his predecessor in the role, Mark Oaten. | An effective television performer on the economically liberal right of the party, he has carved out a home affairs policy distinct from the "tough liberalism" of his predecessor in the role, Mark Oaten. |
| An expert skier, who speaks five European languages, he cut his political teeth as an adviser to European Commissioner Leon Brittan before spending five years as a Lib Dem MEP, during which he pushed for reform of procedures in the European Parliament. | An expert skier, who speaks five European languages, he cut his political teeth as an adviser to European Commissioner Leon Brittan before spending five years as a Lib Dem MEP, during which he pushed for reform of procedures in the European Parliament. |
| During the party conference in September he said he would probably stand for the leadership "if there was a vacancy". | During the party conference in September he said he would probably stand for the leadership "if there was a vacancy". |
| EDWARD DAVEY | |
| An economics expert, who has been tipped as a future party leader, Ed Davey is given to making detailed, forensic speeches on tax and finance policies. | |
| He was formerly the Lib Dem spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, has served as a junior Treasury spokesman and was leader of the Lib Dem London Group. | |
| His previous job was as party trade and industry spokesman - he is currently chief of staff and campaigns co-ordinator. | |
| An MP since 1997, he is also the holder of an award for bravery after saving a woman who had fallen onto the tracks at a London train station. | |
| CHRIS HUHNE | CHRIS HUHNE |
| One of a batch of ambitious MPs elected in 2005, Chris Huhne's profile soared when he challenged for the party leadership, coming second to Sir Menzies, in 2006. | One of a batch of ambitious MPs elected in 2005, Chris Huhne's profile soared when he challenged for the party leadership, coming second to Sir Menzies, in 2006. |
| A former economics journalist and businessman, he was the Lib Dems' deputy economics spokesman before his move to the environment brief. | A former economics journalist and businessman, he was the Lib Dems' deputy economics spokesman before his move to the environment brief. |
| Mr Huhne was an MEP from 1999 to 2005, before becoming MP for Eastleigh. Educated at Westminster School, the Sorbonne and Magdalen College, Oxford, he has written four books. | Mr Huhne was an MEP from 1999 to 2005, before becoming MP for Eastleigh. Educated at Westminster School, the Sorbonne and Magdalen College, Oxford, he has written four books. |
| Asked about his leadership ambitions in September, he said: "There is no vacancy and it would be premature to even talk about the possibility as there is no vacancy. I am not a sort of Michael Heseltine figure who plans their route map to Downing Street from the day they come out of nappies. I wait for opportunities and decide at the time." | Asked about his leadership ambitions in September, he said: "There is no vacancy and it would be premature to even talk about the possibility as there is no vacancy. I am not a sort of Michael Heseltine figure who plans their route map to Downing Street from the day they come out of nappies. I wait for opportunities and decide at the time." |
| CHARLES KENNEDY | CHARLES KENNEDY |
| The party's most electorally successful leader for 80 years, Charles Kennedy, was forced out after a rebellion by members of his front bench team. | The party's most electorally successful leader for 80 years, Charles Kennedy, was forced out after a rebellion by members of his front bench team. |
| He took over the top job in 1999, after the party had achieved a breakthrough at the 1997 general election with 46 MPs elected. | He took over the top job in 1999, after the party had achieved a breakthrough at the 1997 general election with 46 MPs elected. |
| He built on that success, making impressive gains in local government and gaining the party a real taste of power in Scotland. In 2005 the party saw 62 MPs elected - its highest tally since the 1920s. | He built on that success, making impressive gains in local government and gaining the party a real taste of power in Scotland. In 2005 the party saw 62 MPs elected - its highest tally since the 1920s. |
| He stepped down after admitting to a drink problem, but is still held in high regard by many Liberal Democrats who will not rule out a future return. | He stepped down after admitting to a drink problem, but is still held in high regard by many Liberal Democrats who will not rule out a future return. |
| SUSAN KRAMER | SUSAN KRAMER |
| A former City high-flyer, who was vice-president of a leading international bank before starting her own company to work on transport projects in Eastern Europe, Susan Kramer was appointed to the Lib Dem treasury team after entering Parliament as MP for Richmond Park in 2005. | A former City high-flyer, who was vice-president of a leading international bank before starting her own company to work on transport projects in Eastern Europe, Susan Kramer was appointed to the Lib Dem treasury team after entering Parliament as MP for Richmond Park in 2005. |
| A former president of the Oxford Union, she has sometimes been tipped as a future party leader, despite coming fourth in the contest to be London mayor in 2000. She is now Transport spokewoman. | A former president of the Oxford Union, she has sometimes been tipped as a future party leader, despite coming fourth in the contest to be London mayor in 2000. She is now Transport spokewoman. |
| She has campaigned against the privatisation of the underground and was a member of the board of Transport for London. | She has campaigned against the privatisation of the underground and was a member of the board of Transport for London. |
| She also contributed a chapter to the Orange Book, which set out a free market policy agenda for the party. | She also contributed a chapter to the Orange Book, which set out a free market policy agenda for the party. |
| DAVID LAWS | |
| After gaining a double first in maths at Cambridge, David Laws had a high-flying career in banking before entering Parliament in 2001 as MP for Yeovil - the seat of former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown. | |
| He is seen as being on the economically liberal right of the party and was one of the MPs behind The Orange Book - setting out a more free market approach to Lib Dem policy. | |
| But he rebuffed an attempt by the Conservatives to poach him in March 2007, reportedly telling George Osborne he was "not a Tory". | |
| He impressed Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell with his mastery of the unglamorous work and pensions brief and was rewarded in the July 2007 reshuffle with the newly-created post of children, schools and families spokesman. | |
| RULED OUT: SIMON HUGHES | |
| A popular figure with the Lib Dem grassroots, the party president has twice stood for the party leadership, losing out to Sir Menzies and Charles Kennedy but asked whether he would stand this time, he told the BBC: "That's a categorical 'no'". | |
| The North Southwark and Bermondsey MP also stood unsuccessfully against Ken Livingstone for London mayor in May 2004, coming third. | |
| A barrister by profession, he is known for his views on civil liberties and has served as the party's justice spokesman. | |
| He is also an anti-nuclear campaigner, although his public backing for Sir Menzies Campbell's "wait and see" policy on replacing Trident helped the party leader win a crucial conference vote in 2007. He had recently had warned Sir Menzies to "do better, get better at getting the message across better, at getting the policy out better." |