Charles Kennedy. He took the party through two successful 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. Early life[edit] Born in Inverness, and raised as a Roman Catholic, Kennedy was educated at Lochaber High School, in Fort William. In 1982, Kennedy won The Observer Mace debating competition, speaking with Clark McGinn[6] and representing Glasgow University. Member of Parliament[edit] Rt Hon Mr Charles Kennedy. Politics | The Charles Kennedy story. When they elected Charles Kennedy as their leader in 1999, the Liberal Democrats knew they had chosen a "bon viveur" over rivals with more gravitas but less charisma. Mr Kennedy was a genial, witty figure more than capable of holding his own on television panel games such as Have I Got News for You.
He was described in profiles as "lightweight" and "a charmer", whose laid-back approach contrasted with more earnest, policy-heavy rivals such as Simon Hughes and Malcolm Bruce. He was also known to be fond of a drink - he described himself during the leadership contest as an "up front social drinker" - and his claim to be trying to give up smoking was already becoming a familiar refrain. Rivals accused him of laziness - one dubbed him "inaction man" compared to his ex-marine predecessor Paddy Ashdown.
It was even suggested in 1994 that he failed to take politics seriously when he won £2,000 from a £50 flutter betting that the Lib Dems would take only two seats in the European elections. Charles Kennedy - Rt Hon Charles Kennedy MP - Home Page. Charles Kennedy (charles_kennedy) Charles Kennedy MP writes… Charles Kennedy and Malcolm Bruce today celebrate 30 years as MPs for their constituencies. They have both issued messages to mark the occasion. Here is Charles’. This coming Sunday will mark thirty years of serving Ross, Cromarty and Skye; Ross, Skye & Inverness West and currently, Ross, Skye & Lochaber. Through the many boundary and name changes it’s a continued privilege to serve the largest and arguably one of most beautiful constituencies in the country. Nationally, both as a local MP and as Federal Party Leader, the outstanding issues are equally too numerous to recall or recount but I suppose the issue of Iraq and the brave stand the Liberal Democrats took in opposing the war was a defining moment both for the Party and my Leadership.
Charles Kennedy MP – MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber | The Liberal Democrats - Our MPs in Detail. Born in Inverness in 1959, Charles Kennedy was brought up and educated just outside Fort William, before attending Glasgow University. Following his graduation in 1982, he worked as a journalist and broadcaster with BBC Highland in Inverness. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to attend Indiana University in the United States and in 1983 he was working towards a PhD at Indiana when the opportunity arose to seek the SDP nomination for the newly formed Ross, Cromarty and Skye seat. He won the nomination, subsequently the election, and in 1983 became the youngest Member of Parliament at the age of 23.
Parliamentary Experience Charles Kennedy was elected the UK Liberal Democrats' Party President, the equivalent of party chairman, in 1990, and served in that post until 1994. In August 1999 he was elected as the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, and he was appointed to the Privy Council in October 1999. Contact. Charles Kennedy. Charles Kennedy is the former Leader of the Liberal Democrats who, at the 2005 General Election achieved the best result the party and its predecessors had enjoyed since 1923, winning 62 seats. Charles has been an MP in the Highlands since 1983 and was leader of the Liberal Democrats from August 1999 until January 2006. Born in Inverness in 1959, he was brought up and educated in Fort William, attending Lochaber High School and then Glasgow University, where he was elected President of Glasgow University Union and won the British Observer Mace Debating Tournament in 1982.
Following his graduation that year, Charles worked as a journalist and broadcaster with BBC Highland in Inverness. He was then awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to attend Indiana University in the United States. In 1983 he was working towards a PhD at Indiana when the opportunity arose to seek the Social Democratic Party (SDP) nomination for Ross, Cromarty and Skye. Charles Kennedy: Electoral history and profile | Politics. Candidate's full explanation 1. "Many people think taxes will have to rise in the next parliament to cut Britain's budget deficit. If they do, any increases should disproportionately be paid by higher earners. " Stronglyagree Agree Neither agreenor disagree Disagree Stronglydisagree 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Charles Kennedy - latest news, breaking stories and comment. Democracy Live | Your representatives | Charles Kennedy. Land and Property: Single bedroomed flat in London, from which a rental income is derived.
Overseas visits: 31 January-2 February 2009, to Paris as a participate in the "Your Future in Europe" 2009 conference. Return Eurostar tickets and two nights' hotel accommodation for myself, wife and child, provided by European Study Tours. (Registered 3 February 2009) Gifts, benefits and hospitality (UK): A dinner was hosted by Dr Kartar Lalvani on 9 June 2008 in honour of my 25 years as an MP. (Registered 3 December 2008) Remunerated employment, office, profession etc: Associate Editor of the House Magazine, from 1 May 2006 (which includes participation in occasional 'Westminster Explained' seminars, fees from the latter going directly to Highland Hospice. Mr Charles Kennedy (Hansard) November 25, 1959 - Constituencies Contributions. WPR - Charles Kennedy MP. Charles Kennedy MP, Ross, Skye and Lochaber. Voting Summary More Here How Charles Kennedy voted since 2001 Randomly generated selection of topics. See full list. Voted moderately against a more proportional system for electing MPsDetails Voted very strongly against university tuition feesDetails Voted a mixture of for and against reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms (which Labour describe as the "bedroom tax")Details Voted strongly for a wholly elected House of LordsDetails Voted moderately for reducing central government funding of local governmentDetails Voted very strongly against raising England’s undergraduate tuition fee cap to £9,000 per yearDetails See our much more detailed, easier-to-read analysis of votes on health, welfare, foreign policy, social issues, taxation and more.
Charles Kennedy sometimes rebelled against their party in this parliament Recent appearances More of Charles Kennedy's recent appearances RSS feed (?) Numerology Please note that numbers do not measure quality. 2. 8. Voting Record — Charles Kennedy MP, Ross, Skye and Lochaber (10334) — The Public Whip. The Rector. Return to List of Officers of the University The University of Glasgow is one of five Scottish universities which elects a Rector. Since the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1858, the Rector has been elected by the matriculated students of the University and not only represents them but is also, ex-officio, the Chairman of the University Court, the body which administers the resources of the University.
The Rector has a number of key duties representing students. He or she is expected to attend meetings of Court, to work closely with the Students' Representative Council (SRC), and to bring student concerns to the attention of the University's managers. Today, the Rector is elected for a period of three years. History Read about the history of this position. Jump to a Century: 2000 | 1900 | 1800 | 1700 | 1600 | 1500 2008 - Charles Kennedy2004 - Mordechai Vanunu2001 - Greg Hemphill. Can a drunk run the country? After I joined the staff of the Spectator magazine 30 years ago, I was taken to the House of Commons as part of my political apprenticeship. We watched a debate from the press gallery and pottered through the lobbies of the cavernous building before repairing at around 9 p.m. to one of the dozen or more bars found in the Palace of Westminster.
There we fell in with a Tory MP, the original vaudeville drunk, glassy eyes, slurred speech, teetering on his bar stool. I bought him one or two more and then I helpfully asked if I could find him a cab home. He looked at me with puzzlement. "Wha'you mean, go home? I gotta shpeak on thish amendment. " And so he did. Nor can it have been the most inebriate performance ever heard in that place. Times have changed. And yet the days were when heroic drinking was part of political life in many countries, maybe not surprisingly so, since that life is often a compound of tension, aggression, and boredom. How drink destroyed Charles Kennedy, by Menzies Campbell. By MENZIES CAMPBELL Last updated at 13:03 24 February 2008 {1}I have a strong aversion to whisky.
I cannot drink it. I don't like the smell of it. If someone gives me a bottle as a present it remains unopened. My sister Fiona feels the same. Each of us was imprinted in adolescence with this life-long distaste because our father George was a drinker and we associate the taste and smell of whisky with the arguments and tensions his drinking brought into our home. However, one benefit I derived from his drinking was a greater understanding of why people did it, and this sympathy was to stand me in good stead later in life. In October 2001, Charles Kennedy and I were due to meet Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in London. First, I was asked to join Charles in his office.
We sat outside Charles's flat waiting for him. On the way, Charles opened the Lilt and raised it to his lips, but he was shaking so much he had to use both hands to hold it steady. Like everyone else I heard the rumours.