Opik Quits
Labour isn’t the only party to have lost a front bench spokesman in the last couple of days - the Lib Dems have as well. Ruth Kelly resigned from the Cabinet, and Lembit Opik has quit the Lib Dem front bench.
Opik, by far the most well-known Lib Dem, has quit to concentrate on trying to win the election to become the party’s president. This is widely seen to be a non-started, considering the seemingly unstoppable [in Lib Dem terms] lead that Ros Scott has built up. Just compare her website with Lembit’s, for example. And the fact that he is the least well regarded member of the Lib Dem “Shadow Cabinet” by the members.
What it seems to me, is like his resignation from the Lib Dem front bench is a bit of a challenge to Nick Clegg - saying “back me [or at least not campaign against me] or lose me, the best known Lib Dem, from your team”.
Despit the fact that he is quitting to campaign for an elected party position, I can’t help that think that it is a move not that dissimilar to Ruth Kelly’s - a resignation excuse.
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I wouldn’t put money on Ros Scott being unstoppable. While she has been working hard and has the clear support of much of the activist base, the armchair members are a different prospect altogether.
But will the armchair members bother getting off their arses to vote?
[...] quit the Lib Dem front bench in order to fight to become Lib Dem [...]