HOLMES BACKS PARTY PRESIDENT IN LIB DEM LEADERSHIP CONTEST

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 12th Jan 2006

Today, at the launch of Simon Hughes MP's campaign for leadership of the Liberal Democrats, local MP Paul Holmes pledged his support for the Party President.

Paul Holmes MP for Chesterfield and Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party said:

"I am delighted to support Simon. He has 23 years of experience in Parliament. He has a passion and commitment to the Liberal Democrat policies and beliefs, that I share. He is already a household name across the UK, and only sixteen months ago he was elected as president of the Party by an overwhelming 70% of party members."

At the launch of his campaign for leadership of the Liberal Democrats, Simon Hughes gave the following speech:

Sixteen months ago Liberal Democrat members were asked to choose their President. More than seven out of ten of those voting, from all parts of Britain, placed their trust in me.

I am proud to announce that I will be putting my name forward to those same members to vote for me to be the next Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Charles Kennedy's leadership has delivered our greatest election results in over 80 years. Across Britain, a million more voters abandoned the Labour Government, rejected the Conservatives, and put their trust in us. This record result was not the high water mark, but a stepping stone to greater success. We can win many more votes and seats next time. Our party made the right and courageous judgments on Iraq, on Europe and on global injustice.

We have robustly defended civil liberties.

We have consistently championed the environment. We now have to demonstrate that we can make the right judgments over other issues which matter to the British people - their finances, their homes, their pensions, their security. I was brought up in post-war Britain where the legacy of Lloyd George and Beveridge meant my family had the security of a decent health service and decent pensions. But quality public services must not mean an over-mighty state.

We have to be responsible. I was taught from an early age that as a family and as a country we had to earn our way in the world. This is a lesson that the Liberal Democrats understand.

I look forward to working as Leader with the brightest, best and most creative people in British liberal politics to bring forward the policies fit for the new century.

I am ready to use my long parliamentary and campaigning experience to take the party forward with enthusiasm, ambition and passion. My job is to lead a united and motivated party in the mainstream of British politics to greater success.

It is to encourage and enthuse the British public to join us.

I believe we can do it. I am ready to lead.