Poor old Charles Kennedy. Hounded to resignation by a pack of wolves. Who ever would have believed that the Liberal Democrats had such a ruthless streak? So much for their friendly uncle, sandal-wearing image. When push comes to shove, they’re as conniving and two faced as anyone in the political arena.
A reader’s letter in yesterday’s Guardian raised an interesting point: Kennedy has had this drink problem for a number of years and it was common knowledge throughout the higher echelons of the party. So were the individuals calling for Kennedy to stand down the very same people who, only last May, were publicly endorsing the man and trying to convince us, the electorate, that he would make an excellent Prime Minister? Hmmm. Let’s assume (and yes, this requires great use of imagination) that the Lib Dems had miraculously won the last general election – would the hounding of Kennedy still have taken place?
Nobody comes out looking very good from this saga do they? And as for Sir Menzies Campbell being the likely replacement: how can we be expected to take someone seriously when they are commonly referred to as ‘Ming’? I’m afraid there is only one person I can think of when I hear that name.
Centrist. Atlanticist. Dry liberal. Anti-totalitarian. Post-ideological pragmatist. Child of The Enlightenment. Toucan.
Citizen Sane 
I think his collegues just got fed up of covering up for him. I suppose in an ideal world they should have not done this, but they did and probably now regret it.
I think the Lib Dems are in for a rocky ride no matter who becomes leader, as their internal divisions and lack of much co-herent thought will come to light.
Matthew D’Ancona made a very good point yesterday in the Sunday Telegraph:
“Never forget: a politician will forgive another politician anything as long as it is in his interests to do so. Mr Kennedy has long had a drink problem. It became public because his colleagues no longer had a use for him.”
Who was it who said ‘There are no friends in Politics, only allies’?
DA
And welcome back two of our hardcore commenters. . .
“There are no friends in politics, only permanent interests”. Was it Napoleon?
I think you’re right though ph – the Lib Dems are just the permanent party of protest, only soaking up disaffected Labour and Tory voters. There’s not much of any substance there. Maybe a leadership challenge would change this though. They need to do something though because it looks like Cameron is trying to out Lib Dem the Lib Dems!
did anyone see the Churchill film last night?
The Lib Dems appear to be stuck in the middle, and with the election of Cameron that middle appears to have become much smaller. They cannot out flank either Labour or Tory on the left or right without splitting the party so their future looks bleak. I wonder how many Lib Dems will now defect back to the Tories, my guess there must be a lot of councillors and some M.P.s thinking about this. Particularly M.P.’s to the right of the party if Hughes gets the leadership – although as yet he has not said he will stand.
All four candidates made their first speeches today, and all four were appalling. Mark Oaten looks like a chubby overgrown schoolboy who’s had one too many treacle puddings. And he can’t pronounce his ‘r’s.
I’ve started my own blog, by the way: Please take a look and comment if you feel moved.
Cheers
DA