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 Charles Kennedy passes away aged 55 |
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 2nd June 2015, 07:09 AM
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#1
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 DROTTNING!
Joined: 15 April 2006
Posts: 63,953 User: 480 
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2nd June 2015, 08:46 AM
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#2
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I'm so lonely, I paid a hobo to spoon with me
Joined: 6 February 2010
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Desperately sad. Already seemed to be a man of another generation of politics.
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2nd June 2015, 08:57 AM
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 BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 13 April 2007
Posts: 36,674 User: 3,272
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Desperately sad news. I followed his career from the very beginning. The day after the 1983 election, I went out in the afternoon to get some shopping, believing that the Alliance had won 22 seats. I got back to find that they had won a 23rd. With the internet yet to be invented, I had to use Ceefax to find out where that 23rd seat was. It came as a bit of a shock when I subsequently found out that the new MP was only a few months older than I was.
He was the only new SDP MP elected that day. The other five had previously won their seats as Labour candidates. All the other Alliance gains were by Liberal candidates. For that reason, he always had a special place in the hearts of SDP members at the time. His lack of association with the Labour party meant that he was accepted by Liberals more readily than many SDP members were. His ability to speak human meant that people tended to forget that he had never had a proper job outside politics. He was still a student (in the US) when he was first elected. When I read, just after the election, that his father had died at the start of the campaign, I hoped that there was somebody with him to give him support. Sadly, it looks like he has probably been alone for most of the last few weeks. RIP Charles. |
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2nd June 2015, 10:16 AM
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 BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 18 July 2012
Posts: 22,833 User: 17,376
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yes, terrible news. I admired and liked him for his integrity, his humanity, his wit, his humility, virtually unique amongst the Westminster crowd. It's no co-incidence that the rise of the Lib-dems was under his leadership, because he spoke to ordinary people as if he was not a "professional" politician and represented what politics should be about: people that care about ordinary people, those without power and money.
Other politicians could do with taking a leaf out of his book. Very few do. |
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2nd June 2015, 12:10 PM
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#5
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Shakin Stevens
Joined: 29 December 2007
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Brillant politican - one of the good guys - gutted when i heard this.
The most successful liberal leader since Lloyd George! |
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2nd June 2015, 04:39 PM
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Queen of Soon
Joined: 24 May 2007
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Such a tragic loss. He was one of the few Lib Dems who still had principals and a back bone after 2010
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2nd June 2015, 04:39 PM
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#7
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 13 April 2007
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Alastair Campbell has written a lovely tribute
http://www.alastaircampbell.org/blog/2015/...a-shared-enemy/ |
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2nd June 2015, 07:34 PM
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#8
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Shakin Stevens
Joined: 29 December 2007
Posts: 46,155 User: 5,138
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Didn't realise his da died only a few months ago
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2nd June 2015, 07:52 PM
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 13 April 2007
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QUOTE(steve201 @ Jun 2 2015, 08:34 PM)  Didn't realise his da died only a few months ago Yes, right at the start of the election campaign He was rushed to hospital in March. That was the day Charles was on Question Time. A lot of people thought he was drunk. I could see something was wrong, but I didn't think he was drunk. It turns out that he heard about his father being taken to hospital just before the recording started.
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2nd June 2015, 08:54 PM
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#10
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Shakin Stevens
Joined: 29 December 2007
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Yeh that makes sense he did seem drunk the way he sat etc.
Great wee blog by Campbell! |
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2nd June 2015, 08:55 PM
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 18 July 2012
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QUOTE(Suedehead2 @ Jun 2 2015, 05:39 PM) Alastair Campbell has written a lovely tribute http://www.alastaircampbell.org/blog/2015/...a-shared-enemy/ that is a very lovely tribute, and makes the loss even more heartfelt. |
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2nd June 2015, 09:02 PM
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#12
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Cur poids plume
Joined: 3 November 2007
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I'm slightly too young to have known too much about him before I came to Glasgow where he was rector, but he's the only politician I've met (just over a year ago) and he was genuinely inspiring.
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1st June 2022, 09:19 PM
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BuzzJack Legend
Joined: 13 April 2007
Posts: 36,674 User: 3,272
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Seven years ago today
So much of what has happened since underlines what a loss to British politics he was.
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1st June 2022, 11:01 PM
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#14
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 21 February 2021
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Most successful (in terms of seats) and principled Lib Dem leader ever especially with opposition to Irag war which was correct. Less said about the charlatan who replaced him the better.
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2nd June 2022, 10:14 AM
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Queen of Soon
Joined: 24 May 2007
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You mean Clegg? Coz Ming came first and I will not stand for no mighty Ming slander
 (Vince cable was before Clegg too I think?)
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2nd June 2022, 10:27 AM
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#16
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 21 February 2021
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Oh sorry - forgot about mighty Ming! How could I have even?
 Cable was after Clegg and then Farron. He was a slow burner but was getting good results until Jo Swinson messed things up. This post has been edited by Smint: 2nd June 2022, 10:34 AM |
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2nd June 2022, 12:43 PM
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#17
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 BuzzJack Platinum Member
Joined: 20 April 2009
Posts: 8,551 User: 8,705
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Charles was great - RIP
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