Charles Kennedy

Very good discussion, and I agree it's sad to hear of the death of one of our few sincere politicians.
Just one point to add about alcoholism (about which unfortunately I've had much family experience)-
One of the after- effects of drinking too much alcohol is depression, which can be almost suicidal. The person knows that only another drink can lift the mood. and that adds to the physical damage.
It's almost a death wish.

Alex Salmond has replied, in The National newspaper, to criticism of his remarks on Charles Kennedy :

www.thenational.scot/comment/letters-to-the-national-june-8.3810

FURTHER to Mr Gilmour’s letter (Letters, June 5) it is unusual for me to have to correct the mainstream media’s distortions in The National but let me do so now.

The words below are the statement I released on Tuesday, following a totally cynical and completely orchestrated misrepresentation of my television tributes to Charles Kennedy.

I would be grateful if you would publish it in full. Charles’s criticisms of the Better Together campaign were made both privately and publicly.

“First, and for the record I have made no claim whatsoever that Charles Kennedy was either a Yes or an SNP supporter. He was not. He was a committed federalist all of his political career.

“In all of the many interviews I have conducted today I have been generous about his political contribution particularly on Iraq but also the role he could have played in the upcoming European campaign.

“That was not difficult. I liked Charles a great deal and he was quite the most generous politician I have ever met.

“Finally, I only mentioned the Better Together campaign at all because I was asked a direct question about it. As early as the beginning of last year, Charles was one of the first Unionist politicians to realise that the result would be close and said publicly that he felt that the actions of the No campaign were contributing to this.”

Having put the record straight I have no intention of commenting further. Except to say this. It would be really good to concentrate political comment on the role this fine man played on Iraq, on his massive achievement as leader in 2005 of securing the best Liberal result for almost a century and the key contribution he might have played on Europe but for his tragic and untimely death.

At a more suitable time I may well expand on these remarks.

Alex Salmond, MP

I meant Georgie Ana.

It's a bit presumptuous to suggest that there are unlikely to be many Nicola Sturgeon or SNP supporters on Gransnet.

I think aside from Scottish people, there are quite a lot of English people (including me) who have a degree of admiration for both NS and the SNP.

I expect many of Charles Kennedy's constituents were sad to hear of his death. Why, though, should they be "ashamed" that they had not voted for him? Charles Kennedy, being the principled and decent man that he was, may also have been a tad disillusioned with his party - after all he voted against joining a coalition with the Conservatives. My feeling is that the vote for the SNP wasn't a vote against Charles Kennedy - he was very well liked - but a vote against what the Lib Dem party had allowed themselves to be drawn into.

eloethan
very presumptuous to state
I think aside from Scottish people, there are quite a lot of English people (including me) who have a degree of admiration for both NS and the SNP.
for goodness sake this thread is about Charles Kennedy NOT
NS and the SNP
I found her 'irritating' with her constant hectoring about 'Scot-Land' and how important she thinks she and her party are.
I also find Ed Milliband and George Osborne 'irritating'
oh and the clique of 'left leaning gransnetters' who shut down any alternative views /debate

Yes, I too admire Nicola Sturgeon, especially her ability to get to the heart of the matter in debate and her refreshingly no nonsense replies to questions.

Yes, this thread is about Charles Kennedy G1 but after all the tributes have all been paid to him, both as a man and a politician, then it is not inappropriate for the thread to wander into a wider look at the political situation he faced in his last few weeks.

Or did you want to close down these wandering perhaps?

Another request for clarification . Would you please explain why you wrote 'Scot-land' as you did?
I have never seen it written thus and assume there must be some reason behind it, though I can't work it out.

Sorry that should be 'Scot-Land' with a capital L for a reason I cannot fathom.

the clique of 'left leaning gransnetters' who shut down any alternative views /debate
Please can I know who these are grannyonce I am more than "leaning" to the left and I have yet to find this "clique" although I have posted quite a few things. To my mind most of the GNs I come across are right of centre- some further than others.
Think leaning to the left is very appropriate given Charles Kennedy and his views which often veered that way.

G1 Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon and the SMP are quite important, regardless of your political leanings, if you live in Scotland.

x

What on earth is presumptuous about Eleothan's view? Especially as she starts the sentence with "I think"! I've seen many people from the North of England calling on Facebook for a petition to move the border Southwards, and not all were joking!

I won't be signing though.

John Cleese would be asking Grannyonce whether she is here for the five-minute argument or the half-hour one. I came out of this after about three minutes.

Debate shut down? Seems to be alive and kicking to me.

grannyonce I should probably heed Elegran 's words and ignore you, but your obvious attempts to create bad feeling prompt me to respond.

Please don't tell me that this thread is about Charles Kennedy. I am well aware of that and my first post said words to the effect that I was very sorry to hear of his death because I liked him a lot.

You, on the other hand, chose to focus on your irritation with Nicola Sturgeon - adding a linked article criticising Alex Salmond. You then went on to suggest that georgie1601, as a Scot, was being over sensitive to any criticism of Scottish politicians, and gave another link to an article criticising Alex Salmond. And as mcem remarked, why exactly do you refer to Scotland as "Scot-Land" - it sounds rather like a sneer to me?

Incidentally, I don't know how other women on Gransnet feel about being called "girls", but I find it a bit patronising - and I guess the male Gransnetters may not be too keen either.

Mmmmmm - As well as Scot-land, perhaps there is also Ing-land and Wale-land, (although Britain is called Ing-land by some, of course)

No, I don't think I shall follow that road - there has been enough needling already, from both directions. I don't intend to add to it.

the clique of 'left leaning gransnetters'. Could someone let me know who they are so that I can join them?

annodomini

"For goodness sake", Grannyonce, Eloethan's post of 00.33.53 was mainly about Charles Kennedy.

Please do give us any opinions and views you have, whatever direction they happen to lean.

annodomini

Eloethan, thanks for another excellent post

I generally lean to the left, with the odd and sometimes surprising lean to the right and some time spent upright in a centrist position. I haven't found the clique yet either. Is it constantly left leaning or would they except a political pendulum weighted to the left?

Should have added

Gosh Gracesgran..you could be describing me as well!

....and I'm Gracie's gran . Spooky!!

I too am spartacus - whoops, I mean Gracesgran.

Shall we form a clique for people who are either, (a) flexible and willing to listen to all sides of an argument or (b) folks who can't make their minds up

Very spooky Tegan.