The lacklustre battle for the future of the Labour party continues to make the news - in Westminster, at least. But tomorrow, another leadership announcement takes place. Either Norman Lamb or Tim Farron will be appointed leader of the Liberal Democrats, and will set out a plan to rebuild the party after its crushing defeat in May.
It would be easy to discount the Lib Dems for the next five years, given that their Commons team would now fit in a large family car. But it would be a mistake. Despite its shrunken presence in the Commons, the Lib Dems retain a significant presence in the Lords (which is ironic, given that Lords reform was high on their agenda when in government). Their grassroots operation is demoralised but plentiful, and they are also the only party which is unequivocally pro-Europe and willing to make a coordinated noise about civil liberties and individual freedom.
The next leader will use debates on these matters to re-establish the party and pep up its existing members. Labour is in disarray over welfare, Europe and a host of other issues - offering a strong leader an opportunity to carve out a niche and make the party’s voice heard once more.
But after Clegg, which political direction will the party take? The leadership candidates have very differing styles and philosophies. Tim Farron aims to take the party to the left, possibly occupying ground vacated by Labour. He is particularly passionate about the environment and helping those at the bottom of the economic ladder. Norman Lamb, who served as Minister for Health in the last government, is noted for his zeal for mental health and the wider NHS, and for being more of a centrist than Farron.
Tomorrow’s announcement is not likely to make big waves. But it is worth paying attention to - under either man, the Liberal Democrats may be down, but they certainly aren’t out.