Graham leads local LibDems

Graham Bishop, an economist and investment manager for more than 30 years, is one of the inner circle of advisers to Vince Cable, the LibDems' Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor.

Battle District Councillor Kevin Dixon was elected vice chairman.

In a hard-hitting address Graham Bishop told members that George Osborne had shown in recent weeks that the Tories have no answers to the current financial crisis.

"Osborne's inadequacies" had been "eloquently exposed by Radio 4's Today presenter Evan Davis last month when he could only splutter in response to Davis's straight question: 'Do you know as much about economics as Vince Cable, George?'"

Bishop was also highly critical of Osborne's naivety over becoming embroiled in the so called "yacht-gate" controversy, at a time when the Conservative Party has been keen to suggest it is flush with funds.

"For a Conservative Shadow Chancellor to find himself labelled a 'twerp' by the Daily Telegraph of all papers, when he should be leading the attack on the Government's financial ineptitude, is little short of incompetent."

And Gordon Brown did not escape Bishop's scorn.

"Make no mistake, the extent of the UK's current economic problems is due entirely to Brown's hubris. Vince Cable has been warning quite literally for years that the country's debt and housing fuelled spending spree was not sustainable.

"Brown has had a temporary reprieve due to George Osborne's farcical interlude, but if Brown's were traded on the stock market I would be saying 'sell Brown's now!'"