Chelmsford congratulates Ming Campbell as new Lib Dem leader

11.55.00pm GMT Tue 7th Mar 2006

Chelmsford Lib Dem Stephen Robinson (left) and other former Lib Dem parliamentary candidates met Ming Campbell at conference

Chelmsford Lib Dems have congratulated Ming Campbell on his election as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats. He has pledged to lead the party back towards government at the next general election. He said it was a victory, not just for him, but for all Liberal Democrats because in the last few weeks they had once again confounded the critics and commentators who once again wrote them off by winning in Dunfermline and West Fife.

He praised his predecessor saying the victory underlined "the remarkable legacy of Charles Kennedy. The party will be always in his debt."

Ming Campbell promised to modernise the party to make a reality of three party politics in Britain. He said he would ensure the Liberal Democrats are the party of innovation in Britain. He will encourage the brightest and the best to join the party and will lead the party in a crusade against poverty.

He said the party would champion freedom, fairness and environment protection; would be a party of democratic revolution; would tackle the secrecy still pervading too much of Britain; would be a party which looks beyond our shores, seeking the prosperity, security and sustainable development which is dependent on international action, and would be a party which pledges to take power from Westminster and Whitehall to give it to people in their own communities.

Ming said that, under his leadership, precaution and consolidation would not do. He said there were great prizes to be won for liberals and progressives. The task now, he said, is to build a strong effective Liberal Democrat party to fight for a greener, fairer, decent Britain at peace with itself at home and admired abroad.

More information about Ming Campbell: http://www.campbellcampaign.org/