South Gloucestershire | Archive | 2006 | January | 13
From the archive, first published Friday 13th Jan 2006.
NORTHAVON MP Steve Webb has assured people in South Gloucestershire that changes in the Liberal Democrat party will not disrupt his work in the area.
Mr Webb told the Gazette that he would not be distracted from his responsibilities as the area's MP by former leader Charles Kennedy's resignation last weekend and of the ongoing discussions of a leadership contest and potential candidates.
Mr Webb, the party's spokesman on health, said: "I am saddened by Mr Kennedy's departure and I understand that my party now needs to go about electing a new leader but I can promise constituents that this will not take me away from doing my job.
"I can also assure that with a leadership change the core of the party will not change. We will be pushing for the same things voters want us here for."
Speaking to the Gazette this week, he added: "I think that the leadership contest will prove a good time for the party members and voters to move forward. It will give us a good chance to define and explore the directions we can take."
Mr Kennedy resigned last week as leader of the party after pressure from MPs following the leader's announcement of a personal drink problem.
"I think the time had come for Mr Kennedy to move on," Mr Webb said. "It would have become impossible to disregard the drinking problem for party members and the public. I also think it would have been difficult for him working as party leader considering the hot house pressures of the job."
Mr Webb said earlier this week that he would consider joining the leadership battle had party president Simon Hughes not announced he would stand.
However, Mr Hughes was due to formally enter the race yesterday, choosing the Oxo Tower in London for his announcement.
It will be the 54-year-old's second attempt at the leadership, after being beaten by Mr Kennedy in 1999.
Mr Webb said: "I am supporting Simon Hughes. Although I do like and have a lot of respect for Sir Menzies Campbell, I feel Mr Hughes has the edge because of his inspiration to lead us as a party forward."
There will be a postal ballot of the party's 73,000 members, with the new leader named on 2 March, a day before the party's spring conference opens in Harrogate.
The candidates will have their first chance to address Lib Dem members directly tomorrow at the party's Meeting the Challenge conference in London.
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