THE outcome of May’s local elections will have a crucial role to play in who will succeed Warren Bradley as the next leader of the Liverpool Liberal Democrats.
Some of the obvious leadership contenders hold seats in uncertain wards – where the party is far from guaranteed success – and may not even still have a place on the council.
Deputy Flo Clucas has stepped up to acting leader as dictated by the party’s local constitution, and local Lib-Dem councillors will wait until after polling day before choosing a new leader.
Here we look at the claims of the key contenders.
Richard Kemp
Seen by some as the favourite to take over, having been a long- time critic of Cllr Bradley.
He has built a national profile as leader of the Lib-Dems at the Local Government Association, where his tenure comes to an end this summer.
The grandfather’s previous attempt to win the leadership in 2008 ended in failure when he polled just 13 votes against Cllr Bradley’s 26.
He is not without his critics, though, and Bradleyites have long harboured suspicions he was manoeuvring against the ex-leader.
But first he must secure re-election to his relatively safe seat in the Church ward on May 5.
Flo Clucas
Became deputy when Cllr Bradley took over the party leadership in December, 2005.
She will be seen as the “safe pair of hands” candidate following the controversial end of the Bradley administration.
However, having served as deputy, will she be seen as too close to Cllr Bradley? Certainly elements of the party blame her for propping up the ex-leader in last year’s leadership election.
Paul Clein
Arguably one of the brightest minds on the city council, Cllr Clein is meticulous about detail, and would be a strong match for Labour.
Despite boasting a 710 vote majority, he has a challenge to keep hold of his Greenbank seat. In the face of an unpopular coalition government which saw his party do a U-turn on tuition fees, his share of the vote may plummet given that Greenbank sits in a popular student area of south Liverpool. If he is re-elected, he may not choose to stand, as his previous attempts to win the leadership failed in 2005 and 2008.
