Simon Hughes has won the contest to be deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats. The Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP saw off a challenge from Tim Farron, taking the votes of most of the party's MPs.
Just so it's clear from the outset
Mr Hughes replaces Vince Cable, who stood down from the deputy leadership role last month to concentrate on the job of business secretary. An MP since 1983, Mr Hughes has served as the Lib Dems's president and was energy and climate change spokesman before the general election. Neither he nor Mr Farron was given a job in the coalition government and both have suggested the Lib Dems should have "shadow" ministers for Whitehall departments where their parliamentarians are not represented.
Mr Cable, deputy leader since 2006, resigned last month, saying it was right to "focus wholeheartedly" on his new job as business secretary. He has given his backing to Mr Hughes. Mr Hughes ran unsuccessfully for the party leadership in 1999 and 2006.
BBC News
BBC News
