I totally agree with Daniel Finkelstein that Ming has got to go. I am not a Lib-dem voter, but I think they would have a better future having a young leader like Nick Clegg who can grow in stature over the years and force labour into coalition.
Just who would vote for an old and bald guy? I am afraid to say but appearance matters. Howard and Hague had no chance against Blair: could you ever imagine them representing Britain?
Cameron has the looks of a future Prime Minister and Blair was starting to look old and pass his prime, hence the need for Brown. Now, are the Lib-dems that stupid they can't get this???

Ahmad, Tunbridge Wells,

Bit aggressive old chap. I would back Ming over this hyperactive Londoner any day of the week.

Daniel, Brighton, UK

Ming needs to lead the LibDems into the next election and lose by a mile.

It is likely that many middle of the road Tories will go home to Cameroon leaving Ming looking like a bit of a relic from the past.

Then, all those stories about how smiling Ming was behind the deposition of the lovely Charles Kennedy will come out and justice will appear to have been done in a sort of a way.

Why didn't Ming leave Charles Kennedy to carry on losing general elections - he was made for the part in a cheerful inhebriated sort of a way.

MarkS, Leeds,

That line from The Fugitive is also Tom Stoppard's favourite - now isn't that much more interesting than all this politics stuff?

Bryan Appleyard, London,

I CARE !

The Liberal Democrats are the only party who stand for personal liberty, real democracy, an ethical foreign policy and the only ones willing to take real action on the environment.

That matters.

Stephen Rutherford, Bedfordshire, UK

Shhhh! Mr Finkelstein -- sssshh! You're supposed to be a Tory!

LibDem readers: don't get rid of Ming. He's great. Really.

Graeme Archer, Hackney, London, UK

What is it the Liberal Demorcrats stand for anyway?

I mean it, really. I don't know.

JW, Leeds,

Clever of DF to mention Harrison Ford on this piece. Believe it or not, Ford and Sir Ming are almost exactly the same age - whereas Ming's looked 86 for the past 20 years.

If he could just shift that "old buffer" tag somehow...I hear they're making a new Indiana Jones movie...

James, London,

As a spin doctor for David Owen, and John Major when he imploded I thought you would be a bit more sympathetic to principled men fighting lost causes. Lets face it, unless Gordon Brown says he likes eating babies he's going to stroll the next election.

Jim, dublin, ireland

If Ming is so politically astute, he should realise the predicament he's in and do the honourable thing. The difference between him and Charles Kennedy is that Charles lost the support of the parliamentary party whilst retaining that of the membership who were sorry to see him go. My own sense is that Ming no longer has the support of the membership but the parliamentary party are unwilling to take action.

ST, Abingdon, UK

I think Mr Finkelstein is just bitter that he failed to win Brent East - whereas Sarah Teather won and held the seat for the Liberal Democrats

Daniel, London, UK

Who have they actually got who is better? I haven't heard of Nick Clegg or Chris Huhne. None of the other candidates during their recent leader election were extremely inspiring. At least the Lib Dems are offering a choice to the voters. They're very green these days.

Kevin Varney, Reading, UK

One thing that the LDs lack is anyone with any focussed energy.

Morrisdriver, Horsham,

Danny, It's not the Liberal Democrats whose MPs and old lags are currently in the news every day briefing against their useless leader and complaining about a lack of direction... what was your point again? Best,

Andy, London, UK

Agreed he could be a bit stronger or perhaps a change of leader would bring a fresh touch to the Liberal Democrats Party but do you really believe that a change of leader would guaratee more votes or even a win for the lib dems? It's quite clear that it isn't the party's leader that is the problem, rather it is the system of voting that needs to be changed, because under first past the post, the Liberal Democrats, no matter who the leader is, will never win in a General election. Of course though it is to be appreciated that neither Labour nor Conservatives are going to change the system if it means the Liberals will have any sort of chance. But it is still unreasonable to blame all the setbacks of the lib dems on Ming himself when the voting sytem in this country is ridiculously unfair toward any party which isn't Labour or Conservative.

Mary, Reading, England

The minnow Finkelstein babbling about one of the most impressive political minds of recent times. Finkelstein was political advisor to John Major and William Hague - nuff said?

Richard, Oxford, UK

Nice guys finish last.............

Al, weybridge,

Ops, had to back and read who the subject of this article was about, for a minute I thought you said Dave (Cameron)

Tom, Alicante, Spain

The Liberal Democrats are NOT the Liberal Party.

The Liberal Party is a completely separate entity BUT many elderly people throughout the land are'conned' into thinking that a Lib Dem is in effect a Liberal Candidate!!

Take just one issue. EU. The Lib Dems would let Brussels walk all over them again and again. The Liberal Party are opposed to the EU.

Please, please, stop this nonsense of calling the Lib Dems LIBERAL they are most certainly NOT.

alan Eastwood, Falmouth, England.

I was beginning to wonder if we still have a Liberal party -Since Ming has been in charge there has only been a deathly silence. We desperately need an alternative to the two tory parties (labour too far right, tories too far left). WAKE UP, PLEASE!

Jill, london,

Ming is is weak I had almost forgotten there was a party called Lib Dems and I used to vote for them.How sad is that. ? Could they not get a leader in touch with today instead of a geriatric who may be a "good and nice guy" but is hopeless.?

M McGregor, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

At least he doesn't visit rent boys or have seedy liaisons with other men.............

NN, Plymouth,

Fortunately the Lib Dems are a complete irrelevance --except to Council Tax payers in areas they control who have to put up with an inferior service, inflated costs and stupid meddling with their dustbin arrangements. Ming should stay. He perfectly epitomises this self-regarding, posturing party.

Adrian Gilbert, Tonbridge, England

I have ignored most articles about the Lib dems from a biased media for some time now ... I have also given up reading Stinkelsteins articles as they are usually awful ...
This one lives up to all my expectations . The truth is , Ming is the finest PM this country will never have ... we need a better media who actually have some intelligence and don't spend most of the time writing articles that suit there own agenda .

Compared to Cameron and Brown , Ming is a star . Better politician with more experience and understanding than the others put together , but these things are unimportant ... lets keep electing liars !!!

Benzo, Nr Chelmsford,

Ming Campbell has always struck me as a decent and honourable human being.There is therefore no place for him in British politics.

Declan Forde., Eastwood.(Notts), Great Britain.

What is more important is that they remove the Liberal from their name !!!!!

Benzo, Nr Chelmsford,

Perhaps Ming; coming from a different dynasty is too precious!

Alan Mead, LOndon, UK

Oh, who cares? Perhaps Britney Spears should lose some more weight or George Clooney gain some? Who really cares?

The important thing is whether we can avoid such stunningly unimportant considerations during our lifetimes.

Marek, London,

Actually, why should the Lib Dems care about your opinion, or some polls at this stage? Polls haven't usually been good for the Lib Dems between the elections, because media (like The Times) gives them less coverage than for Labour and Conservatives. And that means, that the poll rates probably wouldn't be any better for Lib Dems, who ever was the leader. So why change leader simply because some bitchy journalist is bored?

Amelie, London,

I'm a nice bloke.
Can I be the next LibDem leader?

geoff, Birmingham, UK

Unfortunately he is right.

We have personality politics and everything that the Lib Dems have offered policy wise, such as the polluter pays principle, is just hijacked by other parties - see George Osbourne this week.

But there are structural issues at play here - what can the Liberals do when they consistently show the best judgement on the big issues such as Iraq and make no political capital out of it?

I think the electorate and media can't comprehend a truly plural Britain and multiple parties and interest groups - Greens, UKIP, etc... that would possibly do well under a PR voting system.

Moz, Coventry,

A well publicised campaign to put Ming on his bike would certainly take the pressure of the Tory Party who at the moment talk themselves into every poltical disaster they can.
Who better to start such a Campaign running in the media as Mr. Finkelstein who used to work at central office.
There are far more important things to be addressed at the moment by the media. Where we will each of the major UK political stand if, as Sarah Baxter of the Sunday-Times forecasted 3-days ago, GW Bush does go-ahead and attacks Iran.

Michael Blatchford, Bath, UK

Ming who?

stephen bluestone, London, UK

the weakness in Lib Dem support is mainly because both the main parties are now on their territory. It always picks up at election time anyway. Replacing Ming is unlikely to make much difference.

John Ware, London,

I agree with everything here. Labour are pretending that everything's changed/nothing's changed since Blair left, trying to keep the best and lose the worst of that aura. Meanwhile Brown does 'comepetent but dull' very well, while the Unions make velied references that he should remember 'who put him in power'. Cameron seems well-meaning but the 'old Tory' gang are still in charge and the 'new Tory' set have no idea what they stand for. Neither of the main parties inspire any excitement for the future. So the third party, reasonably well supported at the last election, should be in the driving seat now. It is almost the case that ANY vaguely credible Lib Dem Leader - or even a shaved monkey in the right suit - could hold the balance of power. It seems extraordinary then that the Lib Dems failed to elect that vaguely credible leader when they had the chance. Time to break out the razor...

Richard Glover, Redruth, UK