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.Ex-Lib Dem Leader Charles Kennedy Dies Aged 55

References

Category:1959 births
Category:2015 deaths
Category:British Roman Catholics
Category:Deaths from hemorrhage
Category:Disease-related deaths in Scotland
Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs
Category:Members of the British House of Commons for Scottish constituencies
Category:Leaders of the Liberal Democrats (UK)
Category:Politicians from Inverness
Category:Scottish Christians
Category:Scottish journalists
Category:Social Democratic Party (UK) MPs
Category:UK MPs 1983–1987
Category:UK MPs 1987–1992
Category:UK MPs 1992–1997
Category:UK MPs 1997–2001
Category:UK MPs 2001–2005
Category:UK MPs 2005–2010
Category:UK MPs 2010–2015