Kennedy attacks Tory 'relaunch'

Kennedy: We are the effective opposition

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has slammed the Conservatives' new policies and described its members as a "tribe that just doesn't want to be led".

The 25 policy announcements had "all the appearance of something knocked up on the back of a fag packet between bouts of in-fighting".

Our critique of the government's actions is increasingly powerful and persuasive

Charles Kennedy

Mr Kennedy, addressing Lib Dem strategists in Westminster, said he would step up his campaigning efforts until Christmas "setting out our philosophies and policies for twenty first century liberalism".

He said: "The Liberal Democrats must demonstrate that we have the capacity to lead the debate across the board... our critique of the government's actions is increasingly powerful and persuasive."

Increasing divisions

Mr Kennedy restated his belief that the Lib Dems were the "effective opposition" on issues such as public services and Iraq.

He said Mr Duncan Smith's plans for the NHS would create a "two-tier" health service", while proposals to extend the right-to-buy to housing association homes would exacerbate the shortage of low-cost homes for nurses, teachers and police officers.

Last week saw the party of Disraeli and Churchill reduced to little more than a convention of shoe fetishists

Charles Kennedy

Mr Kennedy added of the policy package: "The intention was to present a new compassionate conservatism. The reality was a recipe for increasing the divisions in British society.

"Funny, wasn't it, that we didn't hear anything about them until the last minute? It sounded awfully like panic. Panic at the fact that the Liberal Democrats had agreed a set of clear, coherent and radical policies for the public services while the Tory cupboard stayed bare."

Iraq opposition

On Iraq, he said that the Lib Dems and the British people were lined up against Tony Blair and Iain Duncan Smith.

His party's position was to oppose any unilateral US and UK action against Iraq, supporting action only if it came under the umbrella of the United Nations.

He also said there must be a substantive vote in Parliament.

"All possible peaceful means must be tried first. The weapons inspectors have to be given a chance."

Mr Kennedy, refering to the leopard skin shoes worn by Tory chariman Theresa May, poked fun at the Tories, saying: "You begin to wonder whether the Conservatives are a serious political party any more.

"Last week saw the party of Disraeli and Churchill reduced to little more than a convention of shoe fetishists."