Hughes ousts Ming as bookies' favourite

Mr Hughes, whose popularity with grassroots members is not echoed in his parliamentary party, yesterday vowed to broaden the Lib Dems' appeal.

He leapfrogged Sir Menzies Campbell as the favourite to succeed Charles Kennedy, with bookies giving him odds of 5-4, against the acting leader's 11-8.

In a clear challenge to Sir Menzies's Scottish pedigree, the London MP set out to reposition himself as the candidate for Middle England.

Mr Hughes is to unveil his policy for constitutional reform tomorrow and it is expected to involve an "English votes for English MPs" campaign.

That would follow SNP and Tory policy - barring Scottish MPs from voting on English issues - but with a view to introducing a bill to enshrine the rules. "On my agenda are constitutional proposals for reform that will make fairer decision-making for all of Britain," said Mr Hughes.

When it was put to him that this could be English votes for English MPs, he replied, "You are on the right lines".

The move makes numerical sense for Mr Hughes: of the Liberal Democrats' 73,000 supporters who have a vote in the leadership contest, 18,000 are in the South East of England compared with a paltry 4,200 in Scotland.

Mr Hughes said while the Lib Dems had made the "right and courageous" calls on flagship policies such as the environment, civil liberties and global injustice, it was now time to move on.

"We 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."

What was initially tipped to be a possible coronation for Sir Menzies has become a full-scale contest after the senior MP's faltering performance at Prime Minister's Questions this week.

While Mr Hughes has strong support in the country, he is regarded with suspicion by his increasingly libertarian parliamentary colleagues.

At the launch of his candidacy in London, Mr Hughes stressed he recognised many of his colleagues were in a two-way fight with the Tories for their seats.

"Quality" public services should not mean "an over-mighty state", he said.

People had to "earn their way in the world", he added.

The pressure was turned up on his opponents to declare their backers when Mr Hughes immediately unveiled the names of the seven MPs who were behind him - none of them from Scotland. He made clear none of his supporters would nominate other candidates - a clear swipe at Mark Oaten, another rival, whose supporters are believed to be drawn from MPs who are also backing other candidates. The home affairs spokesman has so far failed to name any supporting MPs apart from Lembit Opik.

The party president's entry into the race poses a serious challenge for Sir Menzies, who had the early backing of MPs but has not wooed the rank and file to the same extent as Mr Hughes.

Another contender for the leadership is also set to emerge, turning the contest into a four-way battle. Chris Huhne, one of the 2005 Westminster intake, is likely to declare his hand today. Like Mr Oaten, he is on the "modernising" wing of the party.