Former leader of Britain’s Liberal Democrats, Charles Kennedy, has died aged 55. He led the party from 1999 to 2006 and lost his parliamentary seat
Former leader of Britain’s Liberal Democrats, Charles Kennedy, has died aged 55.
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He led the party from 1999 to 2006 and lost his parliamentary seat to the Scottish nationalists in last month’s UK elections.
He was married with a 10-year-old son. The cause of death has not been given.
“Charles‘ untimely death robs Britain of one of the most gifted politicians of his generation,” Nick Clegg, former Liberal Democrat leader and deputy prime minister until May’s election, said in a statement.
Kennedy was first elected to parliament in 1983, when he defeated a government minister to become the youngest member of parliament at the time.
In 2005, he took the Liberal Democrats to their most successful election performance in 80 years, but he stepped down as leader in 2006 after receiving treatment for an alcohol problem.