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Lib Dems to announce new leader Nick Clegg is new Lib Dem leader
(about 8 hours later)
The new leader of the Liberal Democrats will be named at 1430 GMT, after a two-month contest sparked by Sir Menzies Campbell's resignation. Nick Clegg has won the race to become the next Liberal Democrat leader.
Lib Dem frontbenchers Chris Huhne, 53, and Nick Clegg, 40, are vying to be the party's third leader in three years. The 40-year-old beat Chris Huhne to become the party's third leader in two years - in a contest which turned out to be even closer than expected.
Sir Menzies, 66, resigned in October, after 17 months in the job, blaming a media obsession with his age. Mr Clegg, an ex-journalist and former Euro MP, won 20,988 votes to the 20,477 votes cast for Mr Huhne by members.
Mr Clegg remains favourite to win but Mr Huhne is said to have picked up support during the campaign. In his acceptance speech Mr Clegg said he wanted his leadership to be about "ambition and change", saying "we want to change politics and change Britain".
Whoever wins will have the task of bringing stability to the UK's third party. He said he wanted to mark the "beginning of Britain's liberal future".
Sir Menzies had only become leader after Charles Kennedy was forced out by a rebellion by members of his front bench team, after admitting a drink problem. Mr Clegg, speaking after the announcement at a central London hotel, acknowledged it had been a "close fought contest" and praised his rival, who he said he was looking forward to working with.
Since Sir Menzies stepped down the party's deputy leader Vince Cable has been acting as temporary leader. He said he wanted to attract those voters who shared liberal values, but did not currently vote for the party.
Very close I want the Liberal Democrats to be the future of politics Nick Clegg class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7046587.stm">Profile: Nick Clegg
He has earned widespread praise for his performance, but told the BBC last week he did not regret deciding not to stand for the job himself. He thanked Vincent Cable for a "spellbinding" performance as acting leader - and praised his predecessor Sir Menzies Campbell, whose resignation in October sparked the leadership race.
"Whichever of the two is chosen will be a very good leader and I will have a, hopefully, senior role in the administration of the party and I'm very happy with that," he said. Mr Clegg, who has two children with wife Miriam, a Spanish lawyer, said that without Sir Menzies, the party would not have the "bright future" it now faced.
My campaign is in very good heart so we will see what the future holds Chris Huhne class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7147578.stm">Analysis: Leader's challenge He said Labour and the Conservatives were "mutating" into each other, and urged disaffected voters to join the Lib Dems, saying he wanted to "provide a liberal alternative to the discredited politics of big government".
He said the race between environment spokesman Mr Huhne and home affairs spokesman Mr Clegg men was "very close". Public meetings
The contest has rarely captured the media spotlight, given that it has taken place at the same time as a series of crises have hit Gordon Brown's Labour government. He pledged to spend at least a day a week campaigning outside Westminster, and to hold regular public town hall meetings to give people who were not Lib Dem members, but supported the party, a chance to have their say.
The two contenders share a similar background - they went to the same public school, they both worked as journalists and both became Euro MPs. He accused the Conservatives of having "no answers to the big issues" and said Labour was "increasingly exhausted and discredited" - saying it left an opportunity for the Lib Dems.
They share similar views on many issues, such as EU membership, electoral reform and civil liberties. You win some you lose some, it was a close-run thing Chris Huhne class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7150279.stm">Huhne hails Clegg
'Very good heart' "I want the Liberal Democrats to be the future of politics, because Liberal Democrats have the courage to imagine a better society to break the stifling grip of the two party system for good.
But Mr Huhne would scrap the Trident nuclear missile programme, while Mr Clegg follows the party policy of retaining it as a bargaining chip in disarmament negotiations. "To bring in a new politics, of politicians who listen to people, not themselves. No more business as usual. No more government knows best.
The contest appeared generally to be good-natured although Mr Huhne apologised over a briefing paper from his camp which described his rival as "Calamity Clegg". "I want today to mark the beginning of a real change in Britain. The beginning of Britain's Liberal future."
He said he had not seen the title of the briefing paper and it was blamed on an "overzealous researcher" but he accused Mr Clegg of "flip flops" on policy. Third leader
Mr Clegg has the most support among Lib Dem MPs - but the party's 64,000 members have the final vote. Mr Huhne thanked everyone involved in his campaign and said he looked forward to working with Mr Clegg - whom he praised for his warmth, intelligence and energy.
Asked who would win on Monday, Mr Huhne told the BBC: "I'm a great believer in waiting for the result. It's a secret ballot. My campaign is in very good heart so we will see what the future holds tomorrow." He told the BBC: "I have been around the course long enough that I know what the rules of the game are - you win some you lose some, it was a close-run thing."
HAVE YOUR SAY I voted for Nick but, to be honest, I found it hard to see the difference between him and Chris T, UK Send us your comments
He said there was inevitably an "in-built abrasiveness" to leadership contests, but said the contest had got the party's message across and he was sure he and Mr Clegg would go on working well together.
Mr Clegg is the party's third leader in two years - Charles Kennedy quit in January 2006, forced out by a frontbench rebellion after admitting a drink problem. Sir Menzies resigned in October, blaming an age-obsessed media.
Following the announcement, Mr Kennedy told the BBC: "I think that, you know, barring acts of God, this will be our last leadership contest for a very long time. I certainly hope so anyway. And you know, I think we've now got fresh faces, a fresh start, and that's good news."
Sir Menzies said Mr Clegg had shown in his speech he had the drive and ability to take the party forward, adding: "It's a day for looking forward, not for looking back."