Nick Clegg announced as Liberal Democrat party leader

3.51.04pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 18th Dec 2007

Nick Clegg is new Liberal Democrat Party Leader

Nick Clegg, the MP for Sheffield Hallam was announced as the new Liberal Democrat leader today.

Local Liberal Democrat MPs, Mark Hunter (Cheadle) and Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove) expressed their support for the new leader.

Speaking after the announcement Mark Hunter said "As one of the first MPs to back Nick Clegg's campaign, I am absolutely delighted by this result and I have no doubt that Nick will lead the party to great success in the future.

In my view Nick has absolutely the right combination of talents to be a successful Liberal Democrat leader and I know he is determined to reach out and reconnect with the million of people who share our liberal values but have not yet voted for the party. I believe Nick can deliver on this ambition because he has the right combination of abilities to communicate the Party's values".

Mr Stunell MP added "I am delighted by this result. Nick Clegg is a man of great ambition for the party and the country, and I believe that he has the ability to take this party forward and to energise politics and the public.

I know that Nick has the ambition to rise to the challenge of making the Liberal Democrats the party for the future and a liberal alternative to the discredited politics of Big Government. This result is a great day for our party and marks the beginning of real change for politics in Britain."