Michael Ignatieff: from BBC to Canadian PM?

A former BBC journalist is poised to become the Prime Minister of Canada. Michael Ignatieff, who wrote regular columns for the Observer as well as making films for the BBC during the 20 years he spent living in London until 2000, has become leader of the Canadian Liberal Party after his rival and former college roommate Bob Rae pulled out of the race. Ignatieff is likely to become PM if the Liberals team up with two other opposition parties to form a coalition to oust Stephen Harper's minority Conservative government.

For the 61-year-old Toronto-born polymath, gaining the Liberal leadership is the latest success in a distinguished career which already includes academic positions at universities around the world including the LSE, Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge. Ignatieff has also written award-winning books on foreign policy and Booker Prize-nominated novels. He even starred as himself in the film Antonia and Jane.

He only entered Canadian politics in 2005. His years abroad, in England and America, coupled with his initial support for the invasion of Iraq, have brought accusations of being out of touch with ordinary Canadians. As an intellectual heavyweight, he would be the brainiest PM Canada has had since Pierre Trudeau ruled the roost in the late 60s and 70s.

Faced with such an intimidating opponent, the incumbent Canadian Tory party has already issued a damning attack on the Liberals, saying Ignatieff was "parachuted" into the leader's job in "yet another stunning and unprecedented demonstration of Liberal contempt for our democratic rights".