Tributes paid to former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy

The world of politics has paused to pay tribute to former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy who has died aged 55.

Charles Kennedy, the former MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, died at home in Fort William yesterday. A statement released on behalf of his family said: “It is with great sadness, and an enormous sense of shock, that we announce the death of Charles Kennedy.

“Charles died at home in Fort William…we are obviously devastated at the loss.

“Charles was a fine man, a talented politician, and a loving father to his young son. We ask therefore that the privacy of his family is respected in the coming days.”

Mr Kennedy had served as an MP for 32 years, but was ousted from his constituency last month.

His death follows a well publicised battle with on-going health problems.

Despite this, he was a keen political battler, filmed recently making a humble speech following his General Election defeat.

His death has sparked a barrage of heartfelt tributes from across the political spectrum.

Former Lib Dem leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said Mr Kennedy’s death “robs Britain of one of the most gifted politicians of his generation”, while acting Labour leader Harriet Harman said he “brought courage, wit and humour to everything he did”.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “I’m deeply saddened by the death of Charles Kennedy. He was a talented politician who has died too young. My thoughts are with his family.”

Scottish First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said she was “sad beyond words to hear the news”. She said he was “a lovely man and one of the most talented politicians of his time”.

Former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott told BBC Radio Scotland he was a unique character.

He said: “Our thoughts are with Charles’s family at this time but the tributes that are paid to him do reflect how popular he was across politics because he just didn’t do partisan politics, he was far better than that.

“He was a unique character who brought the best of our discourse and our discussions of what we should be as a country together and I just think the loss is incalculable, not just to the party but to the wider politics.”

He added: “Charles was not just a great communicator but a great commentator as well. He analysed politics, he knew the people, he understood what made people tick and he could be very insightful I think about how politics needed to change to make the country better and therefore all of us that were in the profession of politics to serve the people with rather more skill than we possibly do at the moment.”

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt described Mr Kennedy as “a giant of British politics”.

He told Sky News: “We are in an era where people are quite cynical and suspicious of politicians. They think we are out of touch and he was someone who really had the common touch.”

Former North Devon MP Sir Nick Harvey said Mr Kennedy had got “all the big decisions right” as leader.

“He was a very warm hearted individual, as engaging and witty in private as he was in public,” he said.

“He was much brighter than he was ever given credit for. The image of ‘Chatshow Charlie’ meant that he was sometimes depicted as rather lightweight.

“He got all the big decisions right during his leadership of the Lib Dems, elegantly reversing us out of the courtship with Labour that had been going on under Paddy Ashdown.

“And the decisive moment of his leadership, obviously opposing the Iraq War and leading us through the division lobbies against the weight of other parties and indeed the weight of public opinion at the time – although that changed soon after.”

Sir Nick said losing his seat at the election will have come as a “terrible blow”, having also suffered the “devastating” loss of his father shortly beforehand.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: “I am deeply saddened by the news that Charles Kennedy has died.

“I got to know him well in the House of Commons and always found him to be kind and courteous, even when we disagreed. He was always good company, with a self deprecating humour that was disarming.

“I will miss him, as I know many others will to. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn tweeted: “So sad to hear about Charles Kennedy. All our thoughts are with his family on the loss of a decent man who gave politics a good name.”

William Hague, the former foreign secretary and leader of the House of Commons, tweeted: “Very saddened to hear about the death of Charles Kennedy: a devoted public servant, a gifted Parliamentarian, and a man of great warmth.”

Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness tweeted: “Waking up to the very sad news of the death of former Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy. His family are in my thoughts & prayers.”

Baroness Boothroyd, who was Speaker of the Commons when Mr Kennedy was Liberal Democrat leader, said he was “enormously likeable, a hard worker and a man of integrity”.

Sir Menzies Campbell, who served as Mr Kennedy’s deputy leader and foreign affairs spokesman during the Iraq war and succeeded him as Liberal Democrat leader in 2006, said: “At a time when politicians are accused of being out of touch with the public, that charge could never be levelled against Charles Kennedy.

“He had the articulate ability to express important political issues in a style which everyone could recognise and with a simplicity that made them much easier to understand.

“He was not a naturally adversarial politician and this undoubtedly accounts for the enormous respect and remarkable affection with which he was regarded by both public and politicians alike.

“His opposition to the Iraq war was a brave and courageous stand at a time when opinion in the House of Commons was very substantially in favour of Tony Blair’s policy. Some disgracefully accused him in the House of being a quisling but Charles and the Liberal Democrats had the final satisfaction that under his leadership a principled stand was taken against a monstrous foreign policy mistake, and was ultimately proved correct.”