BBC NEWS | Politics | Embattled Kennedy quits as leader

Charles Kennedy has resigned as Liberal Democrat leader.
In a statement at Lib Dem HQ, Mr Kennedy said he had been “inundated” with support from party members since admitting having a drink problem.
But he had decided to quit immediately because it had become clear he did not have strong enough support among MPs.

Full Statement Here

Liberal Democrats Website

Charles Kennedy Website

I am neither a Labourite, Conserative or Lib Dem. I tend to vote for the party at the time that effects my future the most. To be honest, I’ve not voted Lib Dem in a General Election for years but that was purely down to their policy selection and nothing to do with their leader.

But I have come close in recent times to voting Lib Dem primarily down to Charles Kennedy and the manner in which he conducts himself in public. I was careful to say in public because of the recent publicity surrounding his private life, specifilly his drink problem.

Whilst I hoped he would continue as leader, I somehow knew that there would be members of his party who would use this as an excuse to force him to leave his position. It is a shame that they cannot be as honest as Charles Kennedy was.

For someone to admitt they have/had a drink problem is tough enough. To be constantly in the public eye it makes it more the harder. Some are saying he was trying to win the sympathy vote, but I personally think that it was just Charles Kennedy being the same honest person he was.

What ever happens, I wish him all the best in his efforts to get over his health issues. Let us hope that this decision doesn’t force him back to drink, but reduces the pressure from being the leader and allow him to recover fully.

Actually, being Scotish his drink problem was probably not able to get enough decent beer and whiskey based down in London. Scotish people don’t have drink problems, they just enjoy themselves more than us Englishmen.

The Lib Dems will suffer as a result of the hounding they have given Charles Kennedy. It will take them several years to get over this fiasco and that will give strength to the new Conservative leader who will hope to take some of the votes back from the Lib Dems.

Good Luck Charles in whatever you do. You nearly had my vote a few years back, but you definetly have it now for the way you have behaved whilst those around you have failed.