Food and Events

The Kennedy camp believes that she would take the Liberal Democrats back into the wilderness, spurning Mr Blair's offers of a taste of power.Links with Labour will dominate the election. The candidates divide into two camps on the issue - Mr Kennedy, Mr Campbell and Don Foster would broadly continue with Mr Ashdown's strategy, while Ms Ballard, David Rendel, Simon Hughes and Malcolm Bruce are more sceptical.Mr Hughes will decide by the end of this month whether to run and Mr Bruce may also pull out after assessing his support. But Mr Foster and Mr Rendel are adamant they will go all the way, and so far the only candidate to "blink" is Nick Harvey, the Liberal Democrats' campaign chief, who is backing Mr Campbell.Ballot papers will be sent out on 12 July, with the result of contest announced on 9 August.The ContendersCharles Kennedy: Ross, Skye and Inverness West MP Elected at 24 in 1983 Favoured by Tony Blair Telegenic, but accused of lacking grip on policy detail Seen as lightweight after Call My Bluff TV appearance Odds: 4-5Jackie Ballard: Aged 46 Taunton MP Very cool on close links with Labour. Only woman in race; but "the only candidate with balls", say her supporters But lacking experience on the Westminster stage Odds: 25-1Don Foster: Aged 52 Ousted Chris Patten at Bath in 1992 Ashdown loyalist who favours close links with Labour Articulate and energetic. Respected education spokesman but suffered humiliating defeat on schools policy at last autumn's Lib Dem conference.Odds: 16-1David Rendel: 50-year-old social security spokesman, won Newbury seat in 1993 by-election Has a power base amongst Lib Dem councillors Favours "bargepole" approach with Labour.

Likeable toff,but Old Etonian and Oxford background may count against him Critics claim he lacks charisma Odds: 10-1Malcolm Bruce: 54-year-old MP for Gordon. Treasury spokesman, and a strong advocate of putting 1p on income tax to boost state education Accused of being a lightweight.More of kingmaker than king. Odds: 33- 1Simon Hughes: 48-year-old health spokesman captured safe-Labour Bermondsey seat in dirty 1983 by-election "Thus far, no further" approach to Labour Popular among grassroots.Disorganised.Odds: 10-1.. THE GOVERNMENT'S ban on women soldiers serving on the front line could soon be lifted after a ruling by the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice. The legal opinion, given by Mr Antonio La Pergola, follows a case brought by an army cook, Angela Sirdar, who was turned down for a kitchen job in the Royal Marines on the grounds that the crack unit has a policy of not employing women. Mrs Sirdar, who took her case to a St Albans industrial tribunal after she was mistakenly offered a transfer to the Marines, had worked as an army cook since 1983.Under UK law the Government retains the right to exclude women soldiers from units, like the Royal Marines, which are likely to be involved in "close and kill" actions.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said that in the Marines all personnel, including cooks, were expected to be capable of "killing with bayonets".He said: "Front-line units need to be single-sex for reason of comradeship, loyalty and shared training. The introduction of a second relationship to these units means they won't operate effectively in securing beachheads and breaching enemy lines. The conditions can be extremely harsh."The Advocate General's opinion makes it clear that in peacetime such a restriction is in breach of the equal treatment directive. If the 12 judges of the European Court follow his opinion, and it is rare that they do not, then the Royal Marines and other ground combat units, such as the SAS, may be forced to allow women to fight on the front line.An MOD spokesman said: "We are in favour of retaining the status quo.

We hope the court will agree with us but if it doesn't then we will have to consider a number of positions."An ECJ ruling against the UK would mean that other European countries like Italy and Germany, where women are either barred or are restricted to medical roles in the armed forces, would have to change policies. The Advocate General said the equal treatment directive is of "universal scope" and that it applies to the "field of internal safety". He said there was no exemption for "military activities".But the Ministry of Defence argues the nation's ability to defend itself should be a matter for each individual nation.Apart from the Navy, where women are not allowed to serve on submarines because of the potential risk to foetuses from the contamination of recycled air, the rest of the armed services admit women personnel in non-front line roles. Overall, 70 per cent of positions in the Army, 76 per cent in the Navy and 96 per cent in the RAF are open to women.The Advocate General urged the UK to continue with its own review of the policy of excluding women from close combat positions. The Ministry of Defence said the result of the review is not expected for several years.. A FEMALE police officer has had surgery to reduce the size of her breasts because she was in constant pain from wearing protective body armour, it emerged yesterday. Constable Jackie Smithies said that some of her colleagues in the Greater Manchester police force were planning to have similar operations in order to carry on with their jobs. PC Smithies, 36, said she had had shooting pains through her breasts from wearing the weighty protective tunic.