Like many others in our party I was saddened by the shock resignation of Ming. Whilst I did not support him in the last leadership election I have always admired him as an individual. Ming is a man of great integrity, honesty and passion. As leader of our great party he took over at time when we were going through a turbulent time and has restored confidence within the membership. He has made our party more professional and ready to fight elections in a technology age. His decision to stand down was solely his and with the future of the party in mind. I expect nothing else from a man who is Liberal to the core and passionate about the future of our country.

If anyone is to blame it is the media who did nothing but concentrate on the age of Ming. It is a disgrace in an age where people are living longer working on well past retirement age by choice that this has become the most critical part of his leadership. If he had been from a minority group there would have been complaints galore about discrimination and some of the cartoons in national papers portraying Ming are an insult to not only him but the public at large. More people in the over 60s group vote than any other generation I cannot believe the kind of onslaught that Ming endured has left nothing but a sour taste in their mouths. Many pensioners do more work in the community than any other age group often unpaid or unrecognised. They often fill gaps in the voluntary sector where government fails to meet the need. I often say that a country should be judged by the way it supports its elderly population and in the treatment of Ming and the many unfair policies which unfairly affect citizens as they grow older Britain must rank near the bottom of the league.

Ming led the opposition to the war in Iraq and represented the views of millions it was his incisive questioning that blew the governments argument apart. The nation and the Liberal Democrats owe him a great debt.