Sketch By Julian Joyce BBC News political reporter

Chris Huhne has declared his intention to lead the Lib Dems

Quiet. Low key. Assured. And perhaps just a little bit dull.

These were the adjectives that came to mind during Chris Huhne's announcement on Wednesday that made him the first contender to challenge for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats.

He spoke briefly, and softly, causing journalists present to lean forward to catch what he was saying. The question and answer session was over in a couple of minutes.

Then he and his team were gone, leaving behind not so much as impression as a slight sense of mystery.

As an "unknown amongst unknowns", as one cruel journalist at the event put it, Mr Huhne's supporters know they have an uphill struggle to turn their man into a household name.

Certainly, passers-by outside the Atrium Restaurant in Westminster, scene of many a political drama, were less than familiar with the face of Chris Huhne.

When exposed to the old journalist's trick of showing a picture of the protagonist, nine out of 10 could not name him.

Even a TV cameraman covering the event said minutes before Mr Huhne walked in: "I know the face, but I couldn't put a name to it."

Seated diners

The event itself was not without its hitches. Apparently the Huhne team did not book the restaurant until late in the day, leading to the unedifying spectacle of camera crews clearing a space amongst seated diners.

And conscious that a Huhne announcement was not exactly going to lead Thursday's front pages, some journalists did their best to inject a little more excitement.

"We'll see him on this very spot in a few minutes' time, launching his bid," said a TV reporter broadcasting live, in urgent, but somewhat unconvincing, tones.

Conspiracy

In the end Mr Huhne was nearly half an hour late for his announcement because he had been speaking in the opposition day debate in the Commons on the Blue Tongue outbreak.

One of his team blamed Tory and Labour MPs for spinning out their speeches, and hinted darkly at a cross-party conspiracy to spoil the launch.

Ironically, the bid was launched in exactly the same spot as Sir Menzies announced he was running for leader last year.

And if there were any bitter memories of Mr Huhne's alleged (broken) pledge not to stand against the former Lib Dem leader in 2006, he was now anxious to stress their mutual closeness.

"I spoke to Menzies after he resigned, and he made it absolutely clear that he thought that I had been scrupulously loyal throughout," he said.

But then came the killer rider: "I can't speak for others, however."

That is a subtle, but significant, indication that beneath the supposedly bland exterior of Chris Huhne there might lurk a killer politician.

And given what happened to Charles Kennedy and Sir Menzies Campbell, that would seem to be a quality likely to prove more than useful to any Lib Dem leader.