LLIBERAL Democrat leadership contender Simon Hughes staked his claim to the top job during a visit to Kent by promising less government, less regulation and better public services.

Mr Hughes, who was in Maidstone and Tonbridge for a visit arranged before Charles Kennedy's resignation, insisted the party was capable of challenging the Conservatives and shrugged aside the suggestion that the Liberal Democrats risked becoming sidelined by a resurgent Tory party.

He denied his vision of a less-interfering government was similar to the vision being set out by David Cameron.

"People do want less government on their back and less legislation. They want more choice and more freedom and that is where Liberal Democracy comes from. It is our traditional territory.

"I want to close the gap between the haves and the have-nots and I want people to be in control of their towns and villages. If we get that message out, there is no reason why we should not win seats in Kent at the next election."

Speaking at Maidstone Town Hall, where he saw the council's CCTV operation in action, he acknowledged the party needed to build on its base of support if it was to make gains in places like Kent.

"About half of all people say they are liberally inclined and our job is to capture the other half. People need to know that under us, education standards will be maintained and public services safeguarded."

On the Government's house-building plans for Kent and the south east, he said ministers were approaching the matter from the wrong perspective.

"They have got it wrong and they have got it wrong because we should be developing the economy away from the south east. The government could, and should, be doing more in that respect. Kent is a county where there is more pressure than anywhere else. We do need more houses but the plan has to be the right one."

However, he stopped short of an outright commitment to give local councils the final say on house-building targets. "It is right that there is a national plan but the reason it is flawed is that existing proposals do not spread development evenly across the country," he said.

Of his prospects of winning the leadership contest, Mr Hughes was cautious. He said: "I started off being considered as the main challenger and I am now told the bookies are making me a favourite. We shall have to see."