EASTLEIGH MP Chris Huhne will find out today whether his second bid for the Liberal Democrat leadership bid has been successful.

Mr Huhne has predicted today's result of the battle for the party's top job will be "pretty close" and was hoping a late surge in support would be enough to snatch surprise victory from rival Nick Clegg.

Mr Huhne told the Daily Echo he believed he had every chance of pulling off a shock.

Mr Huhne said: "I think if our figures are right then I'm winning. There's been a good surge over the past few weeks and it will probably end up being pretty close."

But the MP, who lost out to Sir Menzies Campbell in the previous leadership election last year, pointed out there was no guarantee that party members who expressed their support for him during the two-month campaign would have voted for him before the polls closed on Friday.

He cautioned: "We wait and see. I know from last time no one knows what's in the ballot boxes. I think there's no point in trying to speculate what's in there."

Mr Huhne, who was due to hear the results of the election at a central London hotel at 2.30pm today, said he would be happy to work for Mr Clegg, the party's home affairs spokesman, if he lost.

The MP said: "Nick and I have both said clearly whenever we were asked whatever result ends up working together as a team. That is absolutely my intention."

Mr Clegg told the Daily Echo last month the two candidates "worked well together" and promised Mr Huhne a "top table position" on the party's front bench if he won.

The two candidates were forced to deny they had fallen out following the publication by Mr Huhne's campaign of a media briefing document entitled "Calamity Clegg".

Mr Huhne swiftly issued an apology and insisted the title of the document had been added without his knowledge.

Yesterday the Hampshire MP said he believed the leadership campaign had been a "good" one, for himself and for his party.

He said: "We have managed to put on support in the opinion polls, and showcased a lot of ideas for a fairer, greener society which puts people in charge of local services which are not run so centrally from London.

"I think we have got that across and that's great."