Leaderless Liberals choose to stay that way until October convention

Manitoba Liberals will be leaderless until October.

The party's board of directors has decided not to appoint an interim leader while awaiting the outcome of the Oct. 21 leadership convention in Winnipeg.

Judy Klassen, one of three Liberal legislature members, was serving as interim leader but stepped down earlier this month to run for the permanent post.

Her two caucus colleagues, Cindy Lamoureux and Jon Gerrard, are also running for leader, as is communications consultant Dougald Lamont.

Liberal president Paul Brault will serve as the party's spokesperson until the October convention.

The Manitoba New Democrats are also searching for a new leader and will make their choice in September. MLA Flor Marcelino is the NDP interim leader.

Both parties saw their former leaders step down after the April 2016 provincial election when the Progressive Conservatives swept into power with the biggest Manitoba majority government in a century.