To be young and in charge

There was a time when seniority was a definite asset for an ambitious politician.

With age came wisdom and thence the enlightenment and maturity considered crucial for high office.

That, at least, used to be the theory.

Paddy Ashdown, currently the oldest of the three main party leaders, has announced his ambition to step down as leader of the Liberal Democrats at the relatively tender age of 58. The thought of still sitting in the Commons aged 65, was starting to haunt him, it seems.

Topping the line-up of favourites to succeed him is Charles Kennedy, who at 41 is almost a generation younger.

Over the hill? Menzies Campbell

Others thought to be in the running include Simon Hughes (48) and Nick Harvey (37), who is widely reported to be Mr Ashdown's preferred candidate. Menzies Campbell, though has stepped out of the race, his age at 58, may have counted against him.

It is a similar picture outside the Lib Dems. When Tony Blair swept to power two years ago, he was Britain's youngest prime minister for more than 100 years.

Not to be outdone, the Conservatives responded with their very own wunderkind, William Hague. At 38, he was the party's youngest leader for more than two centuries - since Pitt the Younger.

Across the Atlantic, it's a similar tale. When Bill Clinton won election to the White House in 1992, beating World War II veteran George Bush, his victory was seen as a triumph for the post-war "baby boomer" generation. At 46 he was the third youngest president to take office.

Four years later, Mr Clinton's exuberance, youthful energy and potency were seen as key factors in his defeat of the Republican nominee, Bob Dole, who was 73 at the time.

Bob Dole lost out to Clinton's youthful appeal

So while the meek may inherit the earth, the young seem to have made a sizeable down payment.

In Britain, at least, the trend appears set to continue.

The government has announced plans for a radical shake-up of the House of Lords, which, on occasion, has been disparagingly likened to an old people's home.

The current average age of members in the Lords stands at 65 - the upper retirement age for most professions in the UK.

Respect but not influence

In the Commons, where the average age is a more workmanlike 51, seniority earns respect but not much influence.

At 82, the Father of the House, Sir Edward Heath, is viewed by many Conservative colleagues as an outsider, at odds with several of his party's policies.

Likewise, Labour's oldest sitting MP, Tony Benn, who is 74, is something of a stranger to the New Labour ethos preached by Mr Blair's followers.

Both still have a long way to go to match the US senator, Strom Thurmond, who continues to wield power at 98. He ran for president against Franklin Roosevelt.

Donald Gorrie: Encountered hostility over his age

Lib Dem MP, Donald Gorrie, says he would struggle to muster the energy demanded of a party leader.

Mr Gorrie was 64 when elected to Parliament (for the first time) in the 1997 general election - older than Mr Ashdown will be when he quits the Commons.

He admits to encountering hostility from local party members during the selection procedure.

"I think in the eyes of some age may have counted against me," he says.

But while admitting he lacks the energy required of a leader, age need not deter a backbencher, he says.

"I have to pace myself quite a bit ... but if you deliver and have a bit of vim you can overcome people's prejudices."

Lady Miller of Chilthorne Domer thinks the trend for younger leaders is a reaction to the years of being governed by an older, "out-of-touch" generation.

Lower age limit

She wants to see more young people taking roles of political responsibility and has been campaigning to lower an MP's minimum age from 21 to 18. Young people ought to witness their peers exercising power, she says.

"My particular interest is that they would be able to stand for local government," although the principle extends to Parliament, says Lady Miller, who, at 45, is a relative youngster in the Upper House.

"If you exclude them at 18 then, depending on your birthday, you might not get another chance until 22, 23 or 24. By then people have got into careers and family life and may not come back to politics for another 15 years."

The idea was dismissed by the Home Affairs Select Committee last year, but Lady Miller vows to continue her campaign.

All of which begs the question: how long until we have a twentysomething prime minister?