Lib Dem says 'I will win top job'

NICOL Stephen, the Liberal Democrat leader, made the ambitious prediction last night that he would become the First Minister after the next election.

Mr Stephen told STV's Politics Now programme it was "increasingly likely" that the Lib Dems would be the largest party in the Scottish Parliament next May.

He has suggested before that he wants his party to start to challenge the bigger parties in Scotland, but he has always avoided setting a timetable.

However, he has now taken the extremely risky step of setting himself the target of overtaking Labour as the biggest party in Scotland in 2007 - an achievement which would not only represent the biggest upheaval in Scottish politics but would mean an astonishing swing in his party's favour.

Mr Stephen justified his prediction by pointing to his party's recent by-election success.

He said: "It suggests that the Liberal Democrats are on track to be the single largest party after the elections next year."

And he added: "There's real momentum behind the Liberal Democrats, and it's increasingly likely the Liberal Democrats will be the largest party in the new Scottish Parliament and with that would come the position of First Minister."