79-year-old LibDem Lord says Ming, 66, is too old...!

LibDem knives are going public to topple Ming Campbell now there's no prospect of a General Election until 2009. And leading the charge of the back-stabbers today is former Lincoln MP Dick Taverne.

Baron Taverne of Pimlico as he now prefers to be known, was on BBC's World at One programme to be first in the queue to call on Ming to do the decent thing.

With LibDem poll ratings down to as low as 11 per cent, Lord Taverne told unless Ming was replaced as Leader, the LibDems would go "down the drain" at the next election.

He also complains that "no-one takes any notice of us" with Ming as Leader.

LibDems were desperate for an early election. hoping they could replace Ming following the result. As predicted, as soon as Gordon Brown made it clear there would be no early election, the LibDem knives have appeared.

Lord Taverne was the first LibDem I've heard publicly say that Ming was too old to be Leader. He said the Libs needed someone with more "energy" and when asked if he meant a younger Leader was needed, he replied: "Yes".

A bit rich coming from a peer who will be celebrating his 79th birthday this week!

Ming's age - a mere 66 - is not and should not be the problem. It his lack of judgement and lack of ability to lead that's the problem.

Meanwhile, LibDem Deputy Leader Vince Cable hardly helped Ming's predicament by confirming that his position was "under discussion".

Ming's dilemma reminds me of what Councillor Jim Speechley said when he was finally forced to fall on his sword as Tory Leader of Lincolnshire County Council:

The Opposition may be facing me across the Chamber, but my real enemies are behind me...