Nick Clegg, the wrong choice for possibly decent reasons. Half the Liberal Democrat members were obviously not going to be swayed by considerations as grubby as mere campaigning. Chris Huhne, whose policies I find less appealing, ran a much sharper and more effective campaign. We have no idea whether Clegg really was 12 percentage points ahead at the end of November, as YouGov suggested. But if he was, the Huhne insurgency very nearly pulled it off. Huhne was more aggressive in pursuing Labour on the secret funding issue, and he was more aggressive in opposing Trident - the party is now led by someone whose position is shrouded in fog and mired in fudge.
Just as they got it wrong electing Sir Menzies last time, Lib Dems decided to vote for the nice guy, not the street fighter.
The speeches delivered at the announcement of the election result this afternoon were a good guide. Vince Cable was best. He made a small slip at the start, welcoming past leaders "Paddy, Charles and Menzies". Someone shouted out that David Steel was also in the audience. "And David Steel - that was before the merger," he said, recovering well. Huhne was simple and gracious. For a man who had come within 511 votes, 1.2 per cent, of winning, he hid his disappointment well. And Clegg was completely vacuous. His election was a fresh start, he said. Which new leader does not think that - they have to prove it. He was elected to change Britain, apparently. And he's a liberal. Blimey.
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