Today, many of Charles Kennedy’s family and friends, and colleagues from all parties and none, will gather at St George’s cathedral in London to remember him 32 years after he first came to the capital as a 23-year-old MP.
Charles was a rare breed of politician. In an interview with this paper in 2005, he discussed his approach to politics. “I think it’s quite sensible not to take yourself too seriously,” he said. “The vast majority of people think there’s a hell of a lot more to life than just politics. And you’ve got to bear that in mind – because you’re actually trying to represent them.”
That’s Charles to a T. A brilliant man who was able to understand and speak for the person in the street. He loved politics and parliament; not just the debates and the cut and thrust – he loved being there and making a difference. Charles will always be synonymous with the Liberal Democrats’ opposition to the Iraq war but that, to me, is just one part of him. As my friend and colleague Willie Rennie MSP said: “At a time when our politics feels more shrill and divided than ever, his is an example we should strive to emulate.”
He led my party to a record election result. He did that through his passion, wit and steely determination to stand out and offer something different. He offered Liberal politics with a retail edge. He was a man who stood head and shoulders above so many other politicians, and one who millions thought was a kind and decent man who understood their troubles. He was a man of liberal heart and soul who the public saw, and – rare in politics – liked.
They knew when we espoused a position that it was not a Blairite calculation, or had been through a million focus groups. It was something Charles had thought about deeply and decided was the right course of action. The oft-quoted Tony Benn comment about politicians being either signposts or weather vanes was apt for Charles. During his leadership, he was always a signpost, pointing to the liberal way. He inspired many people to get into politics. I meet many Liberals who tell me they joined because of Charles. His oratory moved people to sign up and get involved, fuelled by his words that Britain could be better – it could be fairer, more tolerant and more decent.
Charlie was elected aged just 23. A fact usually forgotten was that he was the only Social Democratic party MP ever to gain his seat in a general election. Five years later, when the SDP and the Liberals were on the verge of uniting, Charles argued in favour of the merger against his own leader, David Owen. We could see the faces of the people in the conference hall as they changed their minds. Charles Kennedy had reached into their hearts and turned them.
One of the things that many of his colleagues saw was his deeply caring nature. I lost my mother – she was a year younger than Charles at his death – after a long illness. I remember seeing him when I was among dozens of other candidates, and he knew exactly about the situation that I and my family were going through, and he showed immense compassion. He never stopped asking me how I was coping. When she died, he asked me how I was. That was the measure of the man. He was always primarily concerned about the wellbeing of others.
He was a mercurial talent who led us to our largest number of MPs in living memory, who took on every corner of the establishment and led the campaign against the illegal Iraq war. He shaped our party, raised its fortunes and was someone who commanded respect and warmth from all he met, inside and outside the party and politics. Our party will rebuild and fight back, and we will do it in his honour.
