This timeline of events in the Liberal Democrats leadership election, 2006 lists the events covering the period from Charles Kennedy's initial call for a leadership election with the Liberal Democrats to the conclusion of the 2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election. 5 January The media reported that eleven of the twenty-three members of the Liberal Democrat frontbench team, which operates as a Shadow Cabinet, had signed a letter expressing their lack of confidence in Kennedy's leadership. The Guardian reported that the letter was circulated by Treasury spokesperson and potential leadership challenger Vincent Cable, and that Sarah Teather, Andrew George, Sandra Gidley, and Michael Moore were also among the signatories (although The Guardian noted that Menzies Campbell, Simon Hughes and Mark Oaten were understood to have refused to sign the letter). BBC News the next day lists the other signatories as David Laws, Chris Huhne, Ed Davey, Norman Baker, John Thurso and Norman Lamb. In an interview with BBC News 24 Norman Baker confirmed his signature, as did Norman Lamb on the BBC's Newsnight. Charles Kennedy made a statement to the media, admitting past problems with alcohol for which he had sought professional help, stating his determination to continue leading the party and calling for party members to have their say over his continued leadership. In the immediate aftermath of the statement, several prominent Liberal Democrats rule themselves out of standing for the leadership against Kennedy, including Mark Oaten, Lembit Öpik, and Norman Baker. Öpik gives strong support to Kennedy, but Baker was more guarded about whether there should be a new leader. Menzies Campbell reiterated that he would not stand against Kennedy. 6 January Media speculation continued that many of the party's MPs were trying to persuade Kennedy to resign before the leadership contest. The letter of lost confidence and asking for resignation, drafted by Vincent Cable before Christmas 2005 and signed by eleven frontbenchers, was delivered to Mr. Kennedy. Nick Harvey has said he was prepared to table a motion of no confidence in the leader at the following week's weekly meeting of the parliamentary party. This was to enable those that would not stand against Kennedy to enter the contest, notably Mark Oaten and Menzies Campbell. Opinion amongst journalists seemed split on whether Kennedy would yield to this pressure to resign, stand unopposed or be challenged in the contest. Further public developments and statements by prominent Liberal Democrats made