Kennedy receives popularity boost

Charles Kennedy stood down in January

Twice as many people believe Charles Kennedy would be a better leader of the Liberal Democrats than his successor Sir Menzies Campbell, a poll suggests.

More than half of people (53%) quizzed by ICM for BBC2's Newsnight said Mr Kennedy would be the best leader of the party, compared to 26% for Sir Menzies.

Some 19% of the 1,002 questioned on 14 to 16 July said they did not know.

Lib Dems voted Sir Menzies in as leader in March after Mr Kennedy quit after admitting alcohol problems.

Energy

Sir Menzies has faced ongoing criticism of his leadership style, with critics citing his performance at prime minister's question time as disappointing.

The 65-year-old told Newsnight he "would not be judged by opinion polls after a few months".

"If I didn't think I had the energy, the values and the judgement to be the leader of the Liberal Democrats, I most certainly wouldn't have offered myself for the job," he said.

He added that he had been given the chance of being a High Court judge in 1996, but had stayed with the Liberal Democrats.