Simon Hughes, Gay. I don't believe it!

I would have been surprised by the revelation of Hughes' homosexuality if it had come out last week as it had never crossed my mind that he may be that way inclined. The first i had an idea was at the weekend while wandering in blogland and reading about the Outen business. People were genuinely surprised about Outen and saying how they thought Hughes had been more likely to have had skeletons in the cupboard. I then wondered, does that mean Hughes is unmarried?

Yes.

Hughes, aged 54 and unmarried, that can only mean one thing, i thought. Apparently he denied last week that he was gay (that story passed by without me seeing it). Hughes' chances appeared to have increased significantly with a poll being published this week. His support among the Mr and Mrs Average was probably most helped by the fact that Mr and Mrs Average have barely heard of the other candidates in the Lib Dem leadership contest.

The Lib Dems are not having a good week are they? Out of the three most likely to win the leadership, one is definitely out of it (Outen's early departure from the contest almost certainly connected to the emerging scandal) and another has had his chances seriously damaged. Has Ming got something to hide too? I doubt it. If there is some kinky sex antics scandal, i bet a Stannah stairlift will have been involved.

Ming's age is obviously an issue to some, but how much of an issue is it really? I mean, it's not quite like the Tories contest with Clarke, with them requiring a leader for the next four years and then to become Prime minister for a few more. It's unlikely that the Lib Dems are going to form a government in four years time. My money would be on the [one-time] dark horse. Huhne. At the rate things are going he may only need to sit and wait and not fall off his chair for the leadership to be thrown into his lap.