The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Mr Paddy Ashdown, stunned Westminster last night by announcing he will stand down as leader of the party this summer. The news shocked his 45 MPs, who were given the news by Mr Ashdown at a private meeting at the Commons.
He said he would stand down as leader after the European election in June and as MP for Yeovil at the next general election. He insisted it was a decision he had taken with his wife, Jane, before the last election when they vowed that Mr Ashdown, who will be 58 next month, would not fight another, either as leader or as MP for Yeovil.
Ms Ashdown sat at the back of a news conference Mr Ashdown gave in his Commons office suite after telling his MPs. She broke with her usual rule of not talking in public by saying she was extremely pleased with her husband's decision.
Mr Ashdown said their decision had been a very personal one, which ordinary people would see as "essentially human".
He added: "I've sailed on a great number of oceans in my life. This has been the greatest and the best. I have loved every minute of it, but there are other seas I want to sail on before this thing is finished.
"I don't want to be an MP at 65. Sorry, but I don't want to do it."
He has been leader for 11 years, the longest-serving mainstream party leader, and is currently the oldest.
Mr Ashdown said he decided to announce his decision now to avoid speculation about his leadership and bitter in-fighting during the round of local government, Scottish, Welsh and European elections in May and June.
However, in a move which may irritate colleagues already unhappy with his closeness to Mr Tony Blair, he added that the Prime Minister had known of his intention to stand down at some stage in this parliament, and probably this summer, since their first meeting soon after the 1997 general election.
Mr Blair had also known in advance that Mr Ashdown had pencilled in yesterday to make his announcement, which came as Westminster was digesting the details of the government's House of Lords reform plans.