Do I hear the sound of contented chuckling from Number 10?

Sir Menzies Campbell resigns as leader of the Liberal Democrats with immediate effect. The Conservative revival has been more at the expense of Lib Dem voters than Labour. Back in the days of Charles Kennedy the Lib Dems were recording opinion poll figures of well over 20%, now they are down to 11%. Nick Clegg would be the sort of Lib Dem leader who could get voters to return to the party from the Conservatives. Maybe the Conservatives need to start a campaign to get Lembit Opik to stand.

An alternative possibility, that would have Gordon Brown reaching for the sleeping tablets, would be the Liberal Democrats splitting. The "Orange Book" free marketeer brigade including Vincent Cable, Nick Clegg, Edward Davey, Chris Huhne, Susan Kramer and Steve Webb would surely feel more at home in the Conservative party whilst the Simon Hughes, Norman Baker and Paul Holmes might be happier in the Liberal Party. Where Mark Oaten would feel happier is a whole other matter. Now that would be an interesting scenario.