Charles Kennedy announces his resignation as Liberal Democrat leader. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Charles Kennedy finally gave in to reality this afternoon and resigned as Lib Dem leader.
In his statement from the party's headquarters, he accepted that while he had been "inundated" by messages of support from party activists he had lost the support of enough MPs to force him out.
Yesterday's announcement that 25 senior liberal democrats would quit the frontbench if he didn't resign by Monday made his position unsustainable and in a sense made the choice for him.
His admission on Thursday that he'd been receiving medical help for a drink problem - denied in public many times - was the final straw. He might well have received considerable sympathy from the general public and ordinary members, but it was clear that his colleagues felt exposed by having covered up Mr Kennedy's drinking and occassionaly unexplained absences.
"This has compromised us all" was the immediate reaction from Normal Lamb as fellow 'modernisers' in the party made it clear they wanted Mr Kennedy to clear the field to avoid the leadership election becoming a referendum on whether the party was sympathetic to a recovering alcoholic.
So what now? Sir Menzies Campbell, Mr Kennedy's respected deputy has long harboured ambitions to lead his party, and it was no surprise that he became the first candidate for the leadership to throw his hat into the ring. He is probably now the frontrunner to succeed, although the party may now consider a younger man like Mark Oaten, David Laws or even Guardian Unlimited diarist Nick Clegg.
While Sir Menzies is not in the economic liberal camp, his election would actually suit many of them as his age means another leadership election would be necessary soon after the next election, allowing the next generation time to build a profile and consolidate support.
In the last contest, Charles Kennedy easily beat the more socially liberal Simon Hughes, but the Bermondsey MP remains a favourite amongst activists and party members who often have a habit of defying the wishes of the party leadership. In Blackpool in September they inflicted a number of embarrassing defeats on the 'economic liberals' like Nick Clegg, so they might fancy a flutter with Mr Hughes.
What brought all this to a head is the man the Guardian called today "the other elephant in the corner", the new Tory leader, David Cameron. His movement towards the centre ground is a real dilemma for the party. Do they head rightwards to fight him on now very crowded ground, or do they go with Mr Hughes to clearer ground to the left of Labour but which threatens many of their seats in the south and west?
It was his inability to give the party a clear direction in this crucial debate that caused much exasperation within the parliamentary party. It was not only Mr Kennedy's laidback style - now seen by them as lack of energy - but his failure to outline a plan to tackle the Cameron threat that lies behind the party's desperate desire to replace him and their final lack of sympathy.
