Liberal Democrats open nominations to replace Sir Vince Cable as party leader

The Liberal Democrats have opened nominations to replace Sir Vince Cable as party leader.

Nominations will close on June 7 with the announcement of a new leader on July 23.

Deputy leader Jo Swinson is firm favourite to succeed Sir Vince, who announced the start of the contest in an email to party members.

In an email Sir Vince said it was time for a "new generation" at the top of the party but pointed to expected gains at the European elections as a sign that "we are in an excellent position" to lead a centre-ground movement in British politics.

"There are major challenges ahead. One is to win, finally, the battle to stop Brexit. Our campaigning has given hope; now we need to secure a referendum in Parliament, and then win it," he said.

"Another is the opportunity created by the conflict and decay within the two main parties to build a powerful, liberal, green, and social democratic force in the centre ground of British politics.

"We are now in an excellent position to lead such a movement."

He had tweeted earlier after Theresa May's resignation: "The Prime Minister is right to recognise that her administration has reached the end of the road. Sadly her compromises through the last three years have too often been with the right-wing of her own party, rather than about bringing the country together."

"Conservative Party interest has always trumped national interest, and yet Conservative MPs continue to demand an ever more extreme Brexit policy. The best and only option remains to take Brexit back to the people. I believe the public would now choose to stop Brexit."

The party only has 11 MPs and the leadership rules require any candidate to have the support of 10% of their colleagues in the Commons and 200 members spread across at least 20 local parties.

The contest will be taking place as the Tories also choose a new leader following Theresa May's decision to resign.

During the 1960s Sir Vince worked as a Treasury finance officer to the Kenyan government.

He entered the House of Commons as an MP in 1997 as an MP for Twickenham before loosing his seat in 2015.

In 201,7 he regained his seat in the snap election and following Tim Farron's resignation he took up the position as the Liberal Democrats leader.

During his political career, he was outspoken about the 2008 financial crisis as well as criticising the Liberal Democrat coalition with the Conservative Party in 2010.