Kennedy Quits

[Kangy]

Bugger! D: Shame to see Charles Kennedy go, as he really seemed like one of the outstanding gems in British politics. Managed to do the whole "left wing" thing without appearing stupid, communist or insane, which was pretty good going. He also brought the party from wallowing in defeats to the point where people were seriously beginning to think it might eventually overtake the Conservatives as the main opposition.

It was also pretty damned brave of him to stand up and tell the country that yes, he'd been a heavy drinker after lying about it for a while. I can't think of many others who would do the same thing in his situation. With any luck, he'll have a serious role in the future of the party.

 

[Sprite]

Goddamnit, he was a good and honest man and a fantastic politician. Really took the Lib Dems a long way and it's a real shame to see him go. Gained 18 seats in just two elections, winning 62 from the 42 when he was elected leader (please tell me if these figures are wrong).

Would be great to see him on the frontbench of the Lib Dems, I'm just hoping his successor won't be some Tony Blair wannabe and will stick the the LD's left policies.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

His successor will be Ming Campbell (sorry Feath!).

In a way, Kennedy goes out on a high - no-one in his party would oppose him directly. Thoroughly nice bloke, and a great asset to British politics.

 

[Llama]

I seriously can't understand why his party members made such a fuss. Sure, he used to drink, but he still made more rational decisions than Tony Blair :x

 

[Sprite]

Agreed, call me a drama queen but this is a dark day for British politics. Charles Kennedy was undoubtedly one of the best political leaders of modern times... and to be chased out by power-hungry, narrow minded MPs shows the true colours of the Liberal Democrats.

Add that to the overwhelming majority of voters who said they still supported CK and praised him for his truthfullness shows just how much of a **** up the party has turned into. Bastards.

Seems like nowadays honesty isn't the best policy in politics, genuine people aren't allowed in politics. My vote is now with Green or Socialist Workers Party.

 

[gick]

Thoroughly nice bloke, and a great asset to British politics.

QFT, QFE

I was about to say that he was the only politician that I would buy a pint for, but perhaps a cup of tea would be more appropriate.

A dark day indeed. He is a man with honesty, integrity, and he stuck to his principles. Rare attributes in parliament.


EDIT: Having said that, I hope this dude becomes their new leader! - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Thurso

 

[Solaris]

Tbh I don't like the Lib dems, they don't want to upset anybody so there very middle ground. They don't object to or porpose anything, they just go with public opinion.

 

[gick]

Well, no actually. They were the only one of the main parties to strongly and consistently oppose the war in Iraq (going against a large proportion of public opinion). Also, they were the most outspoken opponents of Labours anti-terror laws (going against public opinion). That, Solaris, is what you call objecting.

Economically they are the most consistently centrist party in UK politics, but the reason for this is not because they are trying to appeal to everyone. It is due to the differing opinions left over from the party's formation, when the left-wing Social Democrat party merged with the Liberal party (who were more into lassiez faire economics).

 

[Laivasse]

Agreed, call me a drama queen but this is a dark day for British politics. Charles Kennedy was undoubtedly one of the best political leaders of modern times... and to be chased out by power-hungry, narrow minded MPs shows the true colours of the Liberal Democrats.

Totally agree with this. It infuriates me so much that a man's career can be ended for no real reason other than that the people who once supported him seem to be bored with him - that's all I can figure out. To be honest I don't like the guy all that much, but I didn't dislike him, and as far as the Liberal Democrats are concerned I can't see how he can be seen to have put a foot wrong. They've made massive strides under his leadership.

And yet all I've seen in the news in the last few days is that clip over and over again from the Lib Dem press conference last year where he momentarily stuttered and stumbled while trying to clarify a point. WTF?! I say again; WHAT. THE. F*CK?!?! This kind of retarded rubbish makes me SOOO angry, since it encompasses everything wrong with the British press, British politics, and human herd mentality all in one for me. Just because Kennedy was said to have been losing sleep at that time with his newborn kid, and subsequently stuttered once in a press conference, that footage somehow becomes the symbol of how he was 'losing it'. BULLSHIT. Rejected.

It's so ironic that Kennedy is forced out because of this alcoholism connection, but a crack fiend gets voted to head of the Conservative party because he's 'hip'. I'm sick of it all. His admission to alcoholism should have been seen for what it was, a very brave and honest move, but then those virtues seem to be little valued nowadays. The Lib dems are so full of crap at the moment paying lip service to how much they 'admire and respect' him, yet a massive chunk of the party held him to ransom by threatening to quit if he didn't do so first. That's a weird kind of respect. One of the BBC's political correspondents hit the nail on the head when he said the Lib Dems might just be about to find out how much easier it is to destroy something than create it.

On the bright side, Ming Campbell is a fantastic guy, an awesome politician and should do great as Kennedy's replacement. It's only sad that becoming leader means that one day a bunch of peons with nothing better to do are going to character assassinate him and poo on his career.

 

[jondy]

Tbh I don't like the Lib dems, they don't want to upset anybody so there very middle ground. They don't object to or porpose anything, they just go with public opinion.

Just because they're centrist on a couple of issues doesn't mean they're unequivocally populist. The reason Kennedy cut the issues they had with smaller controversies like porn or substances was because of the inevitable media assasination that would have taken place.

Kennedy was one of the only politicians I've ever genuinely respected. I'm sorry to see him go.

 

[ComradeBadger]

Kennedy failed to capitalise on the Tory's failures last election, and this may be really why he was axed...

... I'm aware they got more seats, but they lost out in places they should have won.

That said, it is very sad to see him go.

 

[short recoil]

Lol.

Nice guy but he really isn't suited for leading a party imho.

 

[gick]

Lol.

Nice guy but he really isn't suited for leading a party imho.

Thats a fair point. I could see him making a good Home Secretary, but TBH I dont think he had the personal prescence required of a Prime Minister.

 

[jonbob]

It's a shame; none of the potential candidates are what I'd call prime minister stuff. That woman (whose name I forget) might be the exception but unless the Lib Dems pull someone very charismatic out of their collective sleeve I'd say the party has practically no chance whatsoever of winning the next election.

I thought it was bad before but it will truly be a sad day when I have to choose between the slimy Tories and Labour - though I might be persuaded to vote Labour if the new party leader is good enough. I recall reading that Blair won't be standing for the next election.

 

[gick]

I thought it was bad before but it will truly be a sad day when I have to choose between the slimy Tories and Labour - though I might be persuaded to vote Labour if the new party leader is good enough. I recall reading that Blair won't be standing for the next election.

Yaha, unless anything catastrophic happens Gordon Brown will be the next PM.

 

[jondy]

Thats a fair point. I could see him making a good Home Secretary, but TBH I dont think he had the personal prescence required of a Prime Minister.

I'm not sure; his mannerisms weren't over the top and earned him a lot of trust throughout his career. His fallability was very human; I think a lot of people's perception of him as a 'real person' and not a politician was important.

 

[Sulkdodds]

I thought it was bad before but it will truly be a sad day when I have to choose between the slimy Tories and Labour - though I might be persuaded to vote Labour if the new party leader is good enough. I recall reading that Blair won't be standing for the next election.

You never know...Cameron might actually be alright.

 

[jondy]

You never know...Cameron might actually be alright.

Hmm... no matter how good Cameron is, he's only one cog in the machine; and although it might not be so transparent as he begins dealing with the Tory's image problem, the whole lot of them are still further right than labour. Which is saying something

 

[Kangy]

David Cameron scares me because he may be made of plastic and metal, sent by the Tories of 2250 to eliminate Labour by being "hip and trendy, yo".