BRITAIN: Sir Menzies Campbell has capped a successful first conference as Liberal Democrat leader with a pledge to take his party "towards government" on a centre-left agenda for a greener, fairer Britain.
In a speech concentrating more fire on Labour than the Conservatives, Sir Menzies used his first major conference speech to say Britain's reputation had become "tarnished" as a result of Tony Blair's foreign policy - while still failing public services, doctors and nurses losing their jobs and too many still in poverty were the legacy of Mr Blair and his would-be successor, Gordon Brown.
With a speech that was more workmanlike than inspirational, Sir "Ming" nonetheless won two standing ovations. Having watched him lead and win the party's debate over tax policy, and observed former leader Charles Kennedy's failure to upstage him in Brighton earlier in the week, most commentators agreed Sir Menzies had bought time to further dispel doubts about his leadership ability and style.
Sir Menzies (65) relaxed enough to joke about his "youthful middle age". And despite being on notice that he had to prove himself at his first conference as leader, also enjoyed himself at the expense of Labour's leadership divisions. "Half of them want Blair out, the other half don't want Brown in," he told delegates.
Labour, meanwhile, was again struggling to prevent its undeclared leadership battle dominating next week's conference in Manchester, after home secretary John Reid said he was not ruling himself out of the race.
Mr Reid's comments came in a pre-recorded interview for the Spectator just 24 hours after a tense cabinet heard a succession of ministers tell Mr Blair and Chancellor Brown that infighting over the leadership must stop immediately if the party was to keep David Cameron's Conservatives out of Downing Street.
Labour anxieties were also sent soaring with the news that a third man had been arrested in connection with the ongoing Scotland Yard inquiry into the alleged "cash for honours" affair. Biotech boss Sir Christopher Evans, who gave Labour loans rather than donations in the run-up to the last general election, said he had been "shocked and dismayed" and that he would have been happy to provide police with any information required.