We're ambitious, says Kennedy

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy today vowed that his party would address people's hopes and not their fears during the General Election campaign.

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy today vowed that his party would address people's hopes and not their fears during the General Election campaign.

Mr Kennedy said the Liberal Democrats would not talk Britain down but instead would adopt a positive rather than negative message.

The Lib Dem leader, who is due to become a father for the first time within the next couple of weeks, said Britain offered much to be proud of.

He told supporters gathered at a rally in Newcastle upon Tyne: "For a country like ours with so much going on, a fairly prosperous society, a fairly stable society, a society and a country by international standards measures up well, we are going to be positive, we are going to be ambitious about our country and what we have to offer our country.

"So I am not going to spend these next few weeks talking Britain down. I am going to be addressing people's hopes not playing on people's fears and that is going to be the positive message from the Liberal Democrats during this campaign."

Mr Kennedy chose to come to the North East on the first full day of General Election campaigning because Newcastle was the scene of one of the biggest upsets in last year's local elections when his party ended 30 years of Labour control.

The Lib Dems also have high hopes of winning several seats in the North East from Labour - seen as a traditional Labour heartland.

Mr Kennedy went on to tell supporters: "I like election campaigns. I enjoy election campaigns and this one I am going to enjoy on a personal level, for domestic reasons, as well as the professional level for all the reasons of optimism and determination that our party is going bring to bear.

"I am looking forward to this one as never before.

"I think British politics is at a potentially pivotal turning point and I think the Liberal Democrats are absolutely central to that equation."

The Lib Dem leader also met members of the public during a walkabout around Newcastle city centre before unveiling a poster proclaiming the party as "The Real Alternative".