Campbell frustrated with UK media's 'obsession' with age

Former UK Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell today said he stood down as leader after becoming "irritated and frustrated" by some media, who had an "obsession" with his age.

In a round of broadcast interviews the ex-leader gave his reasons for prompting a leadership contest, saying British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's decision to call off a snap election had been a key factor.

"If Gordon Brown had called that election we would have been ready for him," Campbell insisted.

He said nobody had urged him to quit, saying: "Such was the fixation on age we would not have been able" to pursue Lib Dem policies.

He added: "There were seven consecutive days in which there were seven consecutive stories or reviews about my age and it became very clear to me it was going to be very hard to get out from under that."

Campbell said his irritation was directed at people who wanted to write about "what colour socks you have".

He said he had not been convinced he would be able to get out from under the "cloying blanket" of sniping about the leadership.

At the recent party conference he did six interviews and the issue of the leadership had come up in all six, he added.

But Campbell insisted the decision to step down had been his.

"I made my position clear. I always said I would lead from the front. I always said that decisions of this kind would be for me," he said.

"I thought about this long and hard. And I reached the view, without too much difficulty, that the interests of the party certainly required that I step down, and step down now."

Asked whether he thought he would have been ejected if he had not resigned, Campbell replied: "I can't speculate about the future, and it would be very foolish to do that."

He insisted he had not been forced out by elements within the party and that no one had asked him to stand down.

"I had no sense that there were people wanting to move against me. If I had decided to go on and anyone had tried to move against me then I would have dealt with them pretty sharply," he said.

"This was my decision. I took this decision. This was my conclusion, was based upon my assessment and also based upon my understanding of what my responsibility to the party has got to be."

Campbell said he would not quit as an MP and intended to defend his seat at the next election if his constituency party re-adopted him as its candidate.

"I certainly want to stay in Parliament," he said.

Asked whether he would accept a job offer from Gordon Brown, he declined to answer "hypothetical questions".

But he added: "I would like to go on contributing."

Campbell said he also had a book that had been left 70% written at the time he took over as Lib Dem leader.

He now planned to finish the work, saying it would provide his account of his time as leader and the events leading to his resignation.

Having enjoyed success in three careers - sport, the law and politics - Campbell said he had no regrets.

"I have had a very lucky life so I have nothing to regret," he said.

Paraphrasing former prime minister John Major's comments upon leaving Downing Street, Campbell added: "When it's time to leave the stage - leave the stage."