Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has claimed the fuel crisis - which continues to rock the government - may have been a defining moment for Britain.

In an emergency statement to his party conference in Bournemouth he suggested Labour may never fully recover from the crisis.

And he called for a radical package of measures from the government to combat the problem of high petrol prices.

Mr Kennedy has been buoyed up by the latest opinion polls showing the Liberal Democrats making gains at Labour's expense in the wake of the fuel crisis.

A brace of surveys suggested the next election could end with a hung parliament, with his party holding the balance of power.

Most still believe that is a highly unlikely outcome, but the results have given the Lib Dems a real boost.

And Mr Kennedy is determined to ride the wave of support and show that his party is serious and responsible and a real alternative for voters swinging away from the two main parties.

Loudest voice

His statement on the fuel crisis underpinned that message. He declared the protests were yet another sign that people felt increasingly removed from the political process and often believed direct action was the only way to get their voices heard.

Society had to work on the basis of mutual consent, but that had broken down over the petrol issue, he said.

"The government is taking a lot but it is not giving nearly enough - no wonder public confidence collapses," he said.

He praised the protesters for the way they handled the dispute but he also warned them that policy should not be decided "on who has the loudest voice or who can bring things to a halt."

His statement, which drew enthusiastic support from the conference, had two overriding aims.

First he was eager to show the party has a distinct and "radical alternative" - probably the phrase of the week.

But, secondly, he was also keen to show that, like the other party leaders, he would not be bullied by protests and shows of strength.

He wanted voters beyond those in the conference hall to see him as a serious politician with sensible and workable policies.

He has certainly got his party fully behind him at the moment and his performances both from the conference platform and the fringe meetings and rallies have consolidated his leadership.

His task for the rest of this week is to project himself and his party beyond Bournemouth and to a wider audience which includes both Labour and Tory voters.