Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller says she is not the Liberal Democrat 'leader-in-waiting'

'I am not a member of your party, or indeed any party now, but I want, all the same, to see the Liberal Democrats thrive'

Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller has told the Liberal Democrats she is not their "leader-in-wating" as she addressed delegates at the party's annual conference.

The businesswoman, who successfully defeated the government at the courts to give MPs the power to invoke Article 50, added that "it is time to put values before vanity" in a keynote speech.

Her remarks come as the party's leader, Vince Cable, made clear he wanted to radically alter the Liberal Democrats' rule book to allow non-MPs to stand in future leadership contests - clearing the way for candidates such as Ms Miller.

But addressing the Lib Dem faithful, gathered in Brighton, Ms Miller insisted she had no interest in the role, but said she was "here to cheer you on" with demands for a fresh referendum on the final Brexit deal.

"May I say straight away, particularly for the benefit of the journalists here in this hall who have been doing a great deal of speculating lately, I am not addressing you as your leader-in-waiting," she said.

"Truth be told," she added. "I am not a member of your party, or indeed any party now, but I want, all the same, to see the Liberal Democrats thrive, because in a healthy democracy we need a strong third party, every bit as much as we need a strong opposition, and, for that matter, a strong government and a strong prime minister."

"Now more than ever, on all sides of the political arena, we need statesmen and women doing what they genuinely believe is right for our country - not just reflecting society, but shaping it."

Her comments came as the party overwhelmingly voted for an amendment to the party's Europe policy, calling for Article 50 to be revoked if a no-deal Brexit is on the cards and if the government fails to legislate for a fresh referendum.

It would mean the party would officially seek to reverse Brexit as a last resort in March 2019 if a requested extension to the Article 50 process is rejected by the leaders of the 27 EU member states, who are required to reach a unanimous decision to grant such a request.

The amendment states: "The government to seek to extend Article 50 if required to legislate for a referendum on the final deal, or to provide enough negotiating time to avoid a catastrophic no-deal scenario."

The motion adds that if such extension is not agreed, "to withdraw the Article 50 notification".