What are we to make of today’s appointments?

With Nick Clegg having now formally put his hat into the ring for the Lib Dem leadership Team Huhne has been in touch to tell me of key appointments that their man is making to his campaign.

And they are making great play of the fact the today’s high-level recruits, Dick Newby and Anna Werrin, were part of Charles Kennedy’s inner circle.

Kennedy himself has almost ruled himself out and will probably not publicly back either of the contenders. But he still has a big following within the party and the suggestions that his former team are joining Huhne could be very helpful.

Clegg, of course, is very much the establishment candidate and has been picking up a host of endorsements from a wide range of MPs. Today’s news from the Huhne camp suggests that the Kennedy-connection is being used to counter the younger man’s momentum.

Clegg is a very tight favourite with the latest Betfair price being 0.38/1.

Mike Smithson