Kennedy set to stage a comeback

Charles Kennedy is to stage a political comeback with a major speech at the Liberal Democrat party conference in September and a television documentary to be screened this week.

The former Liberal Democrat leader, ousted by his own MPs following his confession that he had a problem with alcohol, is planning to return to the political stage. He will make an outgoing leader's speech at the party conference and front a Channel 4 programme on politics.

His re-emergence from the shadows will unnerve advisers of Sir Menzies Campbell, who has had a rocky ride as party leader since taking over in March.

Last week, a poll placed the Liberal Democrats at 17 per cent, the worst result since 2002. A YouGov poll found that only 7 per cent of voters preferred Sir Menzies as Prime Minister compared with Mr Kennedy's rating, in his heyday, of 23 per cent.

Friends of Mr Kennedy denied last night that there was "a plot" to unseat Sir Menzies or that he has plans to recapture the party from his former deputy.