Kennedy Drink Problems
 

It turns out that amoung repeated calls for Mr Kennedys resignation from the leadership of the Lib Debs, he has had a drinking problem but since overcome this and has been free of alcohol for two months.. you can read the story in full here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4582930.stm

Heres a question though, if the Lib Dems do vote for a new leader, do YOU know any of the Lib Dem MP's other than Charles Kennedy?

Re: Kennedy Drink Problems
 

Yes Menzies Campbell.

But only because his first name is pronounsed Ming.:)

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Oh and David Alton and Simon Hughes, only because you don't pronounce their first name Ming.;)

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Cyfr, Charlies drinkie poos aside.

As a young Conservative will you be voting for New Labour now they want more private health insurance involvement in the NHS, and yesterday David Cameron stated he wants just the opposite?

As a Tory the only place you can show your allegiance is by voting Labour, is it not?

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Blair is right wing I'll agree, however people have ideas, and other people get them done. Mr Blair isn't one to get things done as the current state of things like the NHS show.. (Lets not go down the Thatcher route of argument again :p although Camerons in the same party, he's not the same person :))
And anyway.. Blair won't be up for re-election next time, it will be the ever-so-slightly-more-left Brown i'd imagine :p

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Ok we'll do a swap.

This wooly socialist liberal will vote for the caring, sharing, gay friendly, women and lesbians first in selection procedures, Conservatives.

You can vote for Labour. The party that believes in free enterprise, private investment in the NHS, and the plight of middle classes in the Home counties.:)

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To be honest Garinda the only left wing party in the house at the moment I can vote for is the Liberal party, (Scottish and Welsh Nationalists are left wing but unfortunately due to a geographical disenfranchise I am unable to vote for them).

The conservatives are floundering because they are having to find a new battleground as NEW Labour (not the labour party) have stolen their clothes.

Me, as a socialist, has been left homeless for the past 5 years.

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I have to say that Charles Kennedy should be applauded for coming out and admitting what everyone suspected.......it was a brave thing to do.....though I think it has left him a trifle exposed.

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Sherry trifle?

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I hope for his sake it was just plain trifle......I'm sure he will be under extra scrutiny now.....just to make sure he doesn't slip off the wagon.

Although he said he hasn't had a drink for two months the BBC disputed this, saying the in that time he had most certainly been seen the worse for drink.....though not on camera. I think the knives have been out for this man for some time.

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I think personally he seems a very nice chap.

I don't think he has the charisma, or drive, to lead his party onwards and upwards, irrespective of his drinking.

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I agree Margaret I happen to work with a Lib-Dem councillor and he is worried if Kennedy goes as none of the others metioned have the panache to carry out the job.

Also I have to say getting rid of one of the most successful leaders your party has seen in almost a hundred years is a tad strange.:confused:

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I can't think of anyone in the party who could be deemed as his successor.
He has certainly raised the profile of the party......and Yes he does seem to be a thoroughly pleasant chap.......maybe he needs to get a touch ruthless and unpleasant to win some friends.....that is the usual way things seem to be done in politics.

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Does that mean that Labour have seen the error of their ways and decided to become Conservatives?

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Charlie Kennedy has a drink problem and has sought help. What's so terrible? Winston Churchill was a heavy drinker and all his war-time cabinet knew it. Perhaps if he had been totally sober, which he never was, he might not have been such a great war-leader.

Kennedy has, at least, done something about his problem and has had the guts to admit it. He's no Churchill but he isn't a disaster either. I think Menzes Campbell (it's actually pronounced Mingis - they call him Ming for short) is behind all this because he desperately wants to be the leader. It's probably some sort of complex about being called Ming.

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Maybe his drinking gave him some pazaz for the commons. At least though goaded into it he eventually admitted a problem. More than can be said for some (teens).

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Anyone who has followed politics in the last decade will know Kennedy's over foindness of wine is the worst-kept secret in Westminster.

Re: West Ender - His drink problem is significant because, unlike in Winston's time, we face apt legislation on things like licensing laws and binge drinking measures...and the press will always pounce on a (perceived) hypocritical leader.

I think a leadership election has come at the worst possible time for the party, with the local elections due in May. But at leas Kennedy is trying to be as transparent as he can.

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the report i listened to said mr kennedy only came out!!! because an itv report was due to expose it big time,so it seems to me a case of heading it off rather than bravery.:D

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He should do well in the elections if the number of people with a bevvy problem is as high as has been sugested. A man after their own heart.
;)

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Dos it not scare one to think that, had the Liberals made a break through at the last election and formed a government,this drunken toad would have had his finger over the nuclear button?

Apart from that, its time to update the old adage - when its comes to the Kennedys' in politics, never get in a car or a bar with 'em.

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Is this a historic occasion?

Will we tell our grandchildren we will always remember where we were when we heard the news of Kennedy's outing?

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he decided that all the reports about Scotland having a drink problem had to be put right. he came out and addmit he was keeping the whiskey industry in profit on his own. He sought help after he was given assurances that there would be no job losses due to the largest customer going on the wagon.

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Wouldn't you drink if you had to live in Scotland.? :)

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What is amazing is that the entire parliamentary Lib-Dem party was fully aware of the extent of Kennedy's drink problem and so was much of the fourth estate; yet the Great British Public was kept in blissful ignorance, instead getting an occaisional snippet which referred to his health problems. Given the Lib-dem policies on government transparency and openness then this must be unparalled in the history of political hypocracy. I just hope that when it comes to the next elections, people will remember & vote away this entire bunch of slimeballs.

Re: Kennedy Drink Problems
 

Like other people have said, and Tealeaf hinted at with the remark about transparency, it does seem quite shocking to hear on the news Charles Kennedy deny he had a problem with drink in recent interviews, only to finally admit it yesterday.

It's not the drink that's the main problem for me, it's the fibbing.

Nearly as good as Bill, I have never had sexual relations with this woman, Clinton.

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Errr plead the 5th ammendment on that one.;) Its actually a nice little country. :)

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I liked it as well, until I was deported after three years for not drinking enough.:drink:

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Is that not better than TV humiliation? :)

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?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????

Excuse me. I've never felt the need to dress up as a woman, and if I did I'd probably be gorgeous, so there would be no humiliation.;)

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One way to be famous. You might be asked to go on Big Brother though. :o

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They couldn't afford me, plus I'm not Z-list.;)

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i think charles kennedy is just the latest victim of the ,,,,,,SEE WHAT DIRT WE CAN DIG UP BRIGADE,,,,,,,maybe they should just get rid of the free bar,, in westminster...

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Has he drunk the bar dry?

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When something like this breaks I always wonder what other piece of news is being buried. I agree with you Granny.

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With local elections due no doubt more "dirt" will be raked up on polititions of all parties. :rolleyes:

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It really is absurd...we have a Prime Minister who is a stranger to truth.....and yet he is still in the driving seat.

I can understand why Charles Kennedy wanted to keep his alcohol dependence under wraps......and whether he was going to be exposed or not it was still brave to be up front about his problems.

A poll on ITV today showed that he still had the confidence of 91% of the people who phoned in.....and surely they are the people who voted for him.

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The PM must suppress all bad bits about himself. We can only guess at what he is up to especially his relationship with GW Bush. ;)

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People just wanna let him get on with it.
He'll never run the country so chill out.

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If his drinking was as bad as they say he couldnt run on the spot.

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I can't get over how absurd it is that everyone is so quick to get on Mr Kennedy's case.
The amount of past ministers that have had drink problems and NOT admitted it is astronomical; Mr Kennedy is an extremely gutsy man and I admire him.
People are so fickle; bringing him down because he is man enough to admit to the BRITISH PUBLIC that he has a problem.
These idiots should be very ashamed of themselves; especially the people in his own party.
:(

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agree entirely- but on this basis WHO can we vote for:D

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Thats a good point cashy as there aint much of a choice out there. Well not unless Gayle can be up for the PM's job in the next few years.

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Thought i would share this with you:

Breaking news from Mail online: Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has resigned after finally succumbing to insurmountable pressure from his party's MPs and activists. Several senior MPs had threatened to quit the frontbench if he did not resign by Monday.

Re: Kennedy Drink Problems
 

Here is a parting gift for Chick to help his sorrows;

Re: Kennedy Drink Problems
 

:(
extremely disapointed
another victim of biggots behaviour to british politics.

what kind of world is this where a man is discriminated for having the guts to admit his problem to millions of people.

bloody toffs

Re: Kennedy Drink Problems
 

To be fair im quite happy he's resigned if the reports ive heard about the news are true.. Apparently a lot of journalists have been threatened to be taken to some special newspaper court thing (I dunno!) anyway, basicly they were threatened to be quite about Kennedys drink problem, then ITV got some solid proof so were going to go ahead with posting it and thats only when he admited it..

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MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS ALCOHOL AND NOT HARD DRUGS.

There is more to be gained publisity wise from drink than drugs.

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Because Shaker how can they dish dirt on someone who admits to their own failings :D

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I feel that Emperor Ming was behind it all......I am not very political, but to me he seemed to have been their best leader for a very long time...even though they have only a snowflakes chance of getting into office.

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A job I'd never want. But glad I can count on your vote if I change my mind.

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I think the way his party have treated CK is diabolical. How many so called 'esteemed' MP's don't have a drink at lunch time or at the end of the day to 'unwind'. You don't have to be a falling down drunk to have a drink problem, so maybe some of his 'attackers' should look at themselves before casting aspersions on others. IMO Kennedy was the Libs best chance of ever winning power, now without him they don't stand any chance at all.

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I feel gutted for Kennedy, yes he had a drink problem but I doubt that he’s on his own. At least he’s thought this through and stood down before things really got nasty.

Charles Kennedy at least as shown some dignity, more than can be said for the rest of the front beach, I personally think they’ve shot themselves in the foot. Pity they don’t seem to have learnt the lessons the Tories still haven’t learnt from when they did the same thing to Thatcher.

Just a foot note:

Deepest thoughts for Tony Banks who’s currently fighting for his lift after suffering A major stroke whiles on Holiday in Florida. God Bless.

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Too late matey. He's dead and gone. And good riddance to! This is the lentil-munching clown who when supposidly Minister of Sport actively campaigned for the outlawing of the three greatest sports - Hunting, Shooting & Fishing. Well, despite the best attempts of him & his ilk, he's failed - hunting is stronger than ever.

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hunting is diabolical........as was cock fighting and bull fighting...

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I'm in total agreement with you granny. How can any animal lovers think different.

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Easy if the hunting is for food puposes. Fishing is a form of hunting yet I do it for trout which I eat. I have eaten rabbit hare pheasant quail etc.

Chicks constituancy has fishing and hunting and he was hunted and hounded the same way.

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If everyone who has a drink problem was sacked or forced to resign we would be in a mess. Think of those in their early 20's that sup alcohol like an elephant sups water were out of a job where would we be?

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Hunting is the noble sport of Kings and and peasants and everyone in between. It is the great test between man & beast. As for cock fighting - well I am quite sure that if I was a cock and had the choice between living for 30 days in a tiny wire cage in order to end up on the shelves of Accy ASDA or that of living a free and pampered life for 60 days and then getting stuck into a life or death struggle, in which I would have a 50/50 chance of survival - well, I know which one I would choose. And as for bull fighting - what more magnificent spectacle is there to be seen?

As for Tony Banks & the Animal Rights Mob - these people have no place in civilised society. The simple fact is organisations like the League Against Cruel Sports are terrorist organisations and Banks was on their political wing. |And as they say - the only good terrorist is a dead terrorist

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If they banned all hunting we will all be vegans. You cannot ban the ones that suit because its the in thing. If hunting goes then fishing would have to followed by cattle and sheep farming. How long would it stay as this if we had no meat fish eggs etc. It might reach the point were we dont have milk because that is robbing a calf of its own food.

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i know people kill animals and fish to eat ,,,,but surely hunting just for pleasure is wrong...

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That is one for their consience unfortunatley. While a minority have the power to over rule the majority then we are stuck at an enpass. I see hunting if the "prey" is eaten as acceptable, but to hunt and waste the "prey" as unacceptable especially as people have enough problems feeding themselves in the world and is thus maorally reprehensable. The problems start when you have to draw a line between them.

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Now CK has time on his hands he can do some salmon fishing on the Tay to get over his ousting. Thats providing the parties held after have non alcohol beverages.

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latest is that he's launchin his own party...























http://www.china.ahk.de/beerfestival/image/cover.jpg

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that party have more sense than all of the politicians anywhere put together!

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The next general election will show if they were right to force him out.