UKC

Morning,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-32970337

Quite sad really - seemed a nice chap

OM

In reply to Onion magnet:

Yes, I was shocked and saddened to hear this just now.

In reply to Yanis Nayu:

I agree, I always thought he might have made a political comeback, once or if he resolved other problems. He seemed more honourable and genuine than many others.

In reply to Onion magnet:

I've been surprised how emotional I've felt about this.

He was a big part of the reason I voted Lib Dem, back when I did - he was a genuine left-wing liberal, who tried to make the world a better place to live in; a Highlander who made his mark.

He led the Lib Dems to their greatest strength in recent times; it must have been heartbreaking for him to see them swing to the right, and go down in flames.

I hope his friends and family take some comfort from the respect being shown to him by so many.

In reply to skog:

A thoroughly decent man, guided by principle, not deflected by ambition, with a wonderful sense of humour. We need more.

In reply to Onion magnet:

Sad news. He was a character in an otherwise bland house of commons

Alastair Campbell's piece is particularly worth reading.

His website seems to have overloaded just now, but you can find it on the Google cache:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:nVggMpXOvBUJ:www.alast...

(or when Alastair Campbell's site comes back up, at: www.alastaircampbell.org/blog/2015/06/02/charles-kennedy-a-lovely-man-a-talented-politician-a-great-friend-with-a-shared-enemy/ )

In reply to Onion magnet:

I found it a bit shocking that he had an ex wife, lived alone in Fort William, and was a long term alcoholic. Perhaps we don't look after each other well enough.

Nice bloke.

In reply to Onion magnet:

Too young to go, one of the good ones.

In reply to Onion magnet:

Sad news, always thought he stood out as a character of integrity, as well as having the best constituency in the UK.

In reply to Onion magnet:
The last honest politician? The world should miss him and remember him for opposing the Blair war.

In reply to Onion magnet:

Stood up for his principles regardless of who stood with him, something everyone can respect. RIP

In reply to Yanis Nayu:


I wouldnt say shocked. Did you watch question time a few months back? he was hammered. reminded me of the Best Wogan incident.

He was clearly hammered and I thought the BBC should have stepped in and removed him and got help, that was embarrassing. I think the writing was on the wall then, poor guy.

In reply to Roadrunner5:

He had been told just before the programme that his father had been rushed to hospital so drink was not necessarily to blame.

In reply to Postmanpat:
I'm not sure about that, did you hear the answers?

It wasn't like he was distracted he was just random.. it was sad to see as he was someone who could speak freely nowadays and be quite insightful as he wouldn't toe party line, but there he was just embarrassing himself. but regardless he was clearly a long term alcoholic and I thought the BBC failed then in their duty of care.. it was car crash TV at his and his families expense.

In reply to Roadrunner5:


Well yes, all just terribly sad really. Talented and decent man with much left to offer.

In reply to Onion magnet:

Drink is a hard master, very sad for his family friends and those close to him in his former constituency. I'm a bit disheartened to see Alex Salmonds comments - not really a time for politics.

In reply to Onion magnet:

I remember a few years back, just about the time he had stepped down from the leadership and admitted his illness, I was getting on a plane from Inverness to London and Charles got on and sat behind me with his wife and new baby. This was an Easyjet flight and I remember thinking "good on ya for not flying Brit Airways business class"

His new baby got quite distressed during the flight and he also apologized to people around him which, I felt, was unnecessary but demonstrated a significant lack of arrogance and significant amount of respect for others.

It saddens me greatly to see talented, good people lose their way due to external pressures of the world. I hope he finds some peace now.

In reply to Roadrunner5:

I'm not sure of the timing, but the death of his father during the election has been referred to by quite a few media outlets today.

In reply to cander:


If true thats surprisingly poor and insulting to kennedy as he was one of the few politicians who did what he thought was right.

In reply to Onion magnet:
He came across as a man of principle and of wit and humanity. I'm genuinely saddened by this news.

I suspect I might be more genuinely saddened than all those who are now gushing his praise but knifed him when they thought he was a 'liability'. And now the party he loved has been pretty much destroyed by the 'proper' politicians who replaced him.

In reply to Onion magnet:
Being a Fort William regular ,I only ever heard people speaking very highly of him.

Hawco VW salesman lived next to him.

Seemed like a warm ,humble,honest, good egg to me.

The Boy Done Good. 👍

In reply to Onion magnet:

I can barely describe the sadness and sense of loss I felt when I heard of Charles Kennedy's death on the radio early this morning. I was driving to Fort William on the A82 at the time. I realised how dangerous it was on the A82 this morning when I soon spotted another driver coming towards me while wiping his eyes.

I first met him in 1987 after John Farquhar Munro got me involved in some of the leg work for Charles' general election campaign which successfully pushed his majority to over 11000.

More recently, since he had been one of the MPs for the Kintail MRT area, I had been keeping him informed about the changes to SAR helicopters. He had an understanding of the importance attached to the service both by mountaineers and the wider community in the Highlands.

A very sad loss to British political life and to the libDems in particular.

In reply to Onion magnet:

Churchill famously quipped “I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me”.

I suspect that the same may have been true of Kennedy. God knows that any sane, decent person might appreciate such a prop to help survive the pit of pricks that is Parliament?

Pissed or not, the majority of minnows currently masquerading as MPs aren't fit to wipe his shoes. Chin chin Charles; you'll be missed.

In reply to Andy Say:




I didn't expect this 'praise' from Vince Cable.

"He gave leadership........ to the country in opposition to the Iraq war, an episode which reflected his shrewd political judgement........"

Sorry to go off topic.