Kennedy: Sad exit

London, Jan. 7: British politics was thrown into turmoil today after the sudden though not unexpected resignation of Charles Kennedy as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, only three days after admitting he had battled ? and apparently overcome ? a serious problem with alcohol dependency.

Although the 47-year-old politician had insisted only yesterday that he would fight on, he announced his resignation today when it became clear that he had lost the support of the majority of the 62 Liberal Democratic MPs in the House of Commons.

Simon Hughes, the party president who is expected to be a candidate for new leader? Sir Menzies Campbell, 64, a senior figure and Kennedy’s deputy, has said he will stand in the contest ? summed up the mood of the party and the nation: “It’s a sad day.”

At one stage, the Liberal Democrats had hoped to replace the Conservatives as the official Opposition to Labour but the election of David Cameron, 39, as Tory leader mobilised forces against Kennedy, even among his former loyalists who now demanded a change of direction.

Kennedy, who became an MP for a Scottish seat of Ross, Skye & Lochaber constituency in 1983 at the age of only 23, succeeded Paddy Ashdown as leader of the Liberal Democrats in 1999. Under Kennedy, the party increased its number of MPs in the Commons to 62, its best ever result.

Last Thursday, after weeks of anonymous anti-Kennedy briefings by his colleagues, he called a press conference and shocked all by announcing he had fought the demon drink ? and won.

“Over the past 18 months I’ve been coming to terms with and seeking to cope with a drinking problem,” he confessed. “I’ve sought professional help and I believe today that this issue is essentially resolved. As a matter of fact I’ve not had a drink for the past two months and I don’t intend to in the future.”

Today, Kennedy said he had been “inundated by messages of support from party members and activists throughout the country” but he acknowledged: “However, it is clear now, that such support is not reflected strongly enough across the parliamentary party in the House of Commons itself. Accordingly, I am announcing today that when nominations open for the leadership of the party I shall not now be putting my name forward. And I am standing down as leader with immediate effect.”

Alongside him was his wife, Sarah, who gave birth to their first child, a son, during the general election campaign last year. Kennedy said that “the new leader can be assured of my loyal support as a backbench Liberal Democrat MP”.

Watching Kennedy’s confident resignation statement, many will wonder at the wisdom of getting rid of him.

He emphasised: “The leadership personalities change from time to time in politics, but principles should not. Civil liberties; justice and rule of international law; Britain again seen as a force for good in the world, through our unique amalgam of roles within Europe, the UN and the Commonwealth; a far greater regard for our environmental challenges today and what we bequeath to future generations; and a far fairer social deal for the have-nots in our society.”

Kennedy was a familiar and popular figure at Indian functions. He formed a useful double act with Lord Navnit Dholakia, the Indian who was president of the Liberal Democratic Party for two successive terms and is now deputy leader in the Lords.

Unlike Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, and Michael Howard, the former Tory leader, Kennedy opposed the Iraq war from the outset. This helped the Liberal Democrats win support from anti-war voters, especially Muslims, in the general election in June last year.

Kennedy’s alcoholism has been an open secret at Westminster for many years but he is, by no means, the only British politician known to have had a chronic drink problem.

It was known, for example, that Harold Wilson’s foreign secretary, George Brown, an otherwise brilliant man, did not function after 4 pm. On an official trip to the Caribbean, he made a pass at a vision in pink only to be sternly told by the object of his ardour: “I am the Cardinal.”