The monarchy should not be abolished, the Liberal Democrats have decided.

In the first debate of the party's annual conference in Brighton, delegates vote overwhelmingly against a motion calling for a referendum on keeping the Queen as the head of state.

The debate was the first on Sunday's agenda, coming at a time when many activists were still battling with public transport.

As a result there were plenty of empty chairs in the conference hall.

Several of the party's MPs joined delegates to vote down the motion which had been tabled by its student wing.

Alex Feakes, who had helped table the motion, tried to convince delegates that ending hundreds of years of tradition would not lead to radical revolution.

"Aristocrats will not be dragged from their stately homes. Madame Guillotine will not be required. I'm sorry. If you wanted a guillotine you should have put it in the motion," he said.

"It's time that the people of Britain were given a choice in their government."

Lord Russell, the party's elder statesman and philosopher-in-chief, rallied to the defence of the leadership to argue against the motion.

His argument was that an unelected monarch is better than an elected political figure.

"The first time I tried to argue the case 35 years ago, my wife asked one simple, devastating question. 'Can you give me one good reason why it should be you instead of me?'" he said.

"I am absolutely scared stiff of an absolute prime minister. Being monarch is a taboo on political opinion. As soon as you elect them, you take that taboo away."

For the student wing, getting embarrassing motions debated at Liberal Democrat conferences is now an established tradition.

Past issues have included lowering the minimum age for access to hardcore pornography and legalising cannabis.

Party leader Charles Kennedy's refusal to take part in the debate - and its early slot on the agenda - meant they were expecting defeat.

"We're rather disappointed, they don't trust the people," said Chris Gurney. "We hadn't expected to win - that's democracy."