Kennedy trumps Sir Menzies in Lib-Dem poll

Twice as many voters think Charles Kennedy would make the best leader for the Liberal Democrats than Sir Menzies Campbell, who replaced him a year ago, according to a poll released yesterday.

And just 6 per cent of the public believe Sir Menzies would make a better Prime Minister than his probable rivals in the upcoming General Election, Gordon Brown and David Cameron.

The survey for BBC2's Newsnight will fuel unease among Lib Dem activists gathering for their party's spring conference in Harrogate about whether Sir Menzies is the right man to lead them into the election, expected in 2009 or 2010.

And it shows that Sir Menzies still has work to do to overcome the trauma suffered by his party when it removed the most electorally-successful leader in its history last year because of concerns over his drinking.

Persistent reports have suggested some Lib Dems would rather see a younger man - like environment spokesman Chris Huhne or home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg - lead them into the upcoming election, though Sir Menzies dismissed the suggestion in a TV appearance last night.

Asked by ICM to choose who would make the best Lib Dem leader, nearly half of those questioned (49 per cent) opted for Mr Kennedy, against less than a quarter (22 per cent) for Sir Menzies.

Just 6 per cent said Sir Menzies would make the best Prime Minister, compared to 28 per cent for Labour's Gordon Brown and 29 per cent for the Conservatives' David Cameron.

But the poll was not all bad news for 65-year-old Sir Menzies.

More than two-thirds (67 per cent) of those questioned thought his age made no difference to his ability as leader, against under a quarter (22 per cent) who said it put him at a disadvantage when compared to 40-year-old Mr Cameron or 56-year-old Mr Brown.