Charles Kennedy

**Charles Peter Kennedy** (25 November 1959 – 1 June 2015) was a British politician.

From 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006, he was the leader of the Liberal Democrats, the third largest political party in the United Kingdom.

In the 1983 General Election he stood for the Ross, Cromarty & Skye constituency, then held by the Conservative MP and Minister, Hamish Gray. In a shock result, Kennedy was elected (for the SDP): at 23, he became the youngest MP in the House of Commons. Ambitious and popular, he quickly emerged as a potential party leader. In 1994, by which time the SDP and the Liberal Party had merged, he became President of the Liberal Democrats - a position he held for four years. In 1999, on the resignation of Paddy Ashdown, Kennedy was elected party leader.

He took the party through two General Elections. However, he faced criticism for his laid-back leadership style, and there was considerable speculation regarding his alcohol consumption. From December 2005, some within the party were questioning his leadership and calling for a leadership election. On 5 January 2006, Kennedy was informed that ITN would be reporting that he had received treatment for a drinking problem. Kennedy decided to pre-empt the broadcast and admit his drinking problem openly. He called a leadership election at the same time, stating that he intended to stand. The admission of a drinking problem seriously damaged his standing within the parliamentary party. As support for him amongst this key group ebbed away, Kennedy resigned as leader on 7 January, saying that he would not be standing in the leadership election. Deputy leader Sir Menzies Campbell took over as interim leader and was elected as leader on 2 March 2006.

Kennedy was born in Inverness, Scotland. He was married to Sarah Gurling from 2002 until they divorced in 2010 and has a son.

Kennedy died on 1 June 2015 at his home in Fort William from haemorrhage due to his alcoholism, aged 55.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **honorific-prefix**: The Right Honourable
- **name**: Charles Kennedy
- **image**: Charles Kennedy MP (cropped).jpg
- **caption**: Kennedy in 2006
- **office**: Leader of the Liberal Democrats
- **deputy**: Menzies Campbell, Ming Campbell
Alan Beith
- **term start**: 9 August 1999
- **term end**: 7 January 2006
- **predecessor**: Paddy Ashdown
- **successor**: Menzies Campbell, Ming Campbell
- **office1**: Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team, Liberal Democrat Leader of the House of Commons
- **leader1**: Paddy Ashdown
- **term start1**: 1 May 1997
- **term end1**: 9 August 1999
- **predecessor1**: Office created
- **successor1**: Alan Beith
- **office2**: Liberal Democrats, President of the Liberal Democrats
- **leader2**: Paddy Ashdown
- **term start2**: 1 January 1991
- **term end2**: 31 December 1994
- **predecessor2**: Ian Wrigglesworth
- **successor2**: Robert Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart, Robert Maclennan
- **office3**: Member of Parliament (UK), Member of Parliament
for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (UK Parliament constituency), Ross, Skye and Lochaber

- **term start3**: 9 June 1983
- **term end3**: 7 May 2015
- **predecessor3**: Boundary Commissions (United Kingdom), Constituency created
- **successor3**: Ian Blackford
- **birth name**: Charles Peter Kennedy
- **birth place**: Inverness, Scotland
- **death place**: Fort William, Scotland, Fort William, Scotland
- **party**: Social Democratic Party (UK), Social Democratic
Liberal Democrats
- **spouse**: Sarah Gurling
- **children**: 1
- **alma mater**: University of Glasgow
- **website**: [http://www.charleskennedy.org.uk/ Official website]