THIS year’s General Elecion is going to be the hardest to predict in UK history, according to a former party leader.

Sir Menzies Campbell — who led the Liberal Democrats between March 2006 and October 2007 — believes the party will do better than many are predicting and has backed the Wokingham candidate, Clive Jones, to win the seat.

Sir Menzies, MP for North East Fife, addressed local party members at a gathering at Mr Jones’ home in Earley last Thursday.

He said: “The battle lines have now been drawn and the economy is going to be vital this year.

“We need to have a policy that is both effective and fair.”

Mr Jones met Sir Menzies at the Lib Dem party conference last September in Manchester.

He said: “It’s a big thing to get a former party leader to come.

“I met him at the conference, and told him about the work we are doing here and how we get involved in issues.

“He asked me, ‘Shall I come to Wokingham then?’ and I nearly fell off my chair. He wanted to come because of the work we have done.

“He is such a nice guy and it is great for our members to have the chance to speak to him.

“He is obviously very well informed on all the important policies.”

Cllr Prue Bray, the Lib Dem leader on Wokingham Borough Council, added: “We were very lucky to have him visit. We mostly talked about international issues, like what’s happening in the Ukraine, as Sir Menzies has such a great knowledge as a former foreign affairs spokesman.

“We were all very keen to hear what he thought.”

Mr Jones will be standing against Conservative MP for Wokingham, John Redwood, who has held the seat since 1987.