Charles Kennedy MP

ANDREW MARR: Now, you may remember Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne debating on that very sofa.

On Tuesday one of them will become the latest Liberal Democrat leader taking over from Vince, who was very good stand-in for Ming, and it's all a bit confusing.

But two things we know.

First, that the next leader will have his task cut out, and second, that Charles Kennedy, ousted last year, can give us some useful advice. Welcome, and thank you.

CHARLES KENNEDY: Nice to join you.

ANDREW MARR: Nice to have you here, Charles Kennedy. I suppose I'd better start off by asking about this very kind hand of friendship that's been extended to your party this morning by David Cameron, who's talking about a progressive consensus of anti-centralising, localist politicians including possibly your party?

CHARLES KENNEDY: The spirit of Christmas is among us, isn't it? So I don't want necessarily to disturb it.

I would have to say that, I mean I've always been a believer irrespective of whether it's Labour or Conservative or Nationalist, whatever the grouping might be in Parliament. If you get specific issues that come up, and you can make sensible common cause, do it, do it.

Particularly if you can influence the agenda. Now, if issues come up in this parliament where we can work with the Conservatives I'm sure we'll do so. I don't somehow, however, see the basis of a great progressive whatever he's calling it...

ANDREW MARR: Consensus.

CHARLES KENNEDY: Progressive consensus. I mean, just take one of my own areas of interest, I mean I've just taken over as president of the European Movement.

Where is the progressive consensus between the leadership of the Tory Party and the Lib Dems, Clegg or Huhne, or myself, on Europe? We're in favour of the treaty, they're against it. Not much basis of consensus there.

ANDREW MARR: We'll know on Tuesday which of them it is.

CHARLES KENNEDY: Yeah.

ANDREW MARR: Lots of people have written the result already, probably prematurely. It hasn't exactly set the heather on fire, as you'd say in your constituency, has it?

CHARLES KENNEDY: No, it hasn't. And I think that, the thing about leadership elections is, as we both well know, is they are terribly introspective events and there's a whole language, vocabulary agenda there that is about the people casting the immediate votes which are the activists, the members, without which a voluntary organisation like a political party can survive.

But, of course the people who decide elections are the bigger audience and I think that bigger audience, as Nick Clegg I think has been saying in this campaign, he's been a bit frustrated, I think they both have actually, that they haven't had much chance.

Of course the other thing that has been unlucky in one way for the leadership campaign, quite good for the Lib Dems in terms of our own overall position, has been the agenda's been so unbelievably rollercoaster. And much of it is played to Vince Cable's strengths, as the acting leader, Northern Rock in particular, and has actually kept the party on the front foot and in the headlines.

But at the expense of slightly sidelining the leadership election. Now, swings and roundabouts, I mean we've got to be grateful for one so we can't complain too much about the other.

ANDREW MARR: Now, in your time biggest number of MPs ever way up in the polls. Looking at the polling position today it's a much grimmer outlook, was that because you were brilliant and the rest were not, or was it because the whole political landscape's changed, or what?

CHARLES KENNEDY: Well the political landscape's certainly moved on. I mean one of the interesting things about the polls, I think there was one today that we're back on 14 or thereabouts. Let's just say it's bouncing around the mid-teens, something like that.

And we've been lower than that and we've certainly been higher than that. It's very, very fluid politics at the moment. I think you and I would, we'd be quite a while we'd have to dig back in our respective experiences when it's been so volatile, so jumpy.

Potentially that should be quite good for a party in our position because the signal it sends is allegiances are quite weak all round, people are quite willing to pick and sift and shop around, depending on the issue.

ANDREW MARR: So the whole thing is more volatile?

CHARLES KENNEDY: Much more volatile, which is a big chance for a new leader coming in. But it is a big hurdle, no doubt about that.

ANDREW MARR: And what about you, because you had your problems and we all know about them?

CHARLES KENNEDY: Yeah.

ANDREW MARR: And Ming Campbell said that you'd be back, he hoped, in a front bench role, the front leading role, when you were ready for it.

CHARLES KENNEDY: Well, I've taken the view really, the last 18 months one thing I've learned party-wise, is there's still a role for me. I mean, as this leadership election's gone on, apart from those two candidates I would think I've been the busiest Lib Dem MP out and about in the country, fundraisers, AGMs, all the stuff that I don't need to do on one level because I'm not running for anything, I don't need votes within the party in that sense, but I'm doing it because I enjoy it, and people want me to do it.

So I think there's a role there that carries on. I mentioned the European Movement, I've got my hat in the ring, I am standing for one election which is Rector of Glasgow University. So I've plenty to do and I think there's a good supportive role there but it's not one that requires a title or a handle. But I'm on hand, whoever wins they both know this, as required.

ANDREW MARR: And health-wise, if they picked up the phone, whoever wins this election said come and be Chancellor spokesman, or Foreign Affairs spokesman - would you do that, would you be?

CHARLES KENNEDY: No, I don't think there's a need for a... we've got an increasing number of ex-leaders kicking around this parliament. It's getting a bit crowded at the moment. And I think that you can be of most use actually.

If you look at the Conservatives it was quite instructive, most use without having a formal position. But you're a good sweeper there and you can be used for a variety of things without crowding the pitch for those that are up and coming.

ANDREW MARR: All right, thank you very much, nice to see you Charles Kennedy.

INTERVIEW ENDS

Please note "The Andrew Marr Show" must be credited if any part of this transcript is used.

NB: This transcript was typed from a recording and not copied from an original script.

Because of the possibility of mis-hearing and the difficulty, in some cases, of identifying individual speakers, the BBC cannot vouch for its accuracy

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