Clegg and Huhne to contest Liberal Democrats Leadership

4.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 19th Oct 2007

Nick Clegg has launched his leadership bid urging the Liberal Democrats to be 'bolder', insisting it was time to 'look to the future'. Mr Clegg joins colleague Chris Huhne, who announced his candidacy in London on Wednesday. Birmingham Yardley MP, John Hemming has ruled himself out of the race. Mr Clegg signalled his intention to stand at a launch in his Sheffield constituency this morning, saying: "If the Liberal Democrats are to change the tired old pattern of British politics, we are going to have to be bolder. We are going to have to move out of our comfort zone. We cannot test the patience of the British people any longer. We must now make a long term commitment to British Liberalism. The Liberal Democrats now have the opportunity, once and for all, to break the stifling grip of two-party politics ... and give a voice to the millions of people who don't feel they have a voice in British politics at all."