Charles Kennedy

Charles Kennedy
Charles Peter Kennedywas a British Liberal Democrat politician, who was Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1999 to 2006 and a Member of Parliamentfrom 1983 to 2015, latterly for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth25 November 1959
apparent finality force peace power threatens
Terrorism gravely threatens international peace and security, and as a solution, the power and apparent finality of force are seductive.
common countries european robust states systems
By common consent, most European countries support the maintenance of robust welfare states and are comfortable with taxation systems that support them.
court facing hard means politics public tempting
Politics means facing up to hard choices and facing down prejudice, short-termism, the easy, tempting court of knee-jerk public reaction.
convinced major remained resistant scots towards understanding understood
Like John Major in her wake, Thatcher was convinced that she understood the Scots - yet couldn't understand why we remained so stubbornly resistant towards the notion of understanding her.
core dear democratic elected fine hold house land lords obey principle
The House of Lords has many fine aspects, but at its heart, it is a betrayal of the core democratic principle that those in the enlightened world hold so dear - that those who make the laws of the land should be elected by those who must obey those laws.
british consider european
I happen to consider myself a Highlander even before a Scot; I am proud to be British yet feel comfortable as a European citizen.
british committed courage nation skill troops
If British troops are committed to action, then the nation will, of course, support them. Their courage and skill is not in doubt.
alone terror
Terror can never be defeated by force alone.
body department government notorious trade
No government body is more notorious for over-legislation than the Department of Trade and Industry.
course issues last opposition period themselves
Over the course of the last parliament, as a party, we have been the real opposition over the big issues of the day ... and the Conservatives over that period have themselves flip-flopped on so many of those matters,
depth hostility incumbent knocking local margaret minister particular second sheer struck tories towards
When I started knocking on Highland doors in May 1983, two things struck me more than any other. First was the sheer depth of hostility towards the Tories in general. Second was the particular hostility towards Margaret Thatcher and her local ministerial spear-carrier, energy minister and incumbent MP of 13 years' standing, Hamish Gray.
moves
With 24-hour news... the story moves on with the media.
alienation people power rigidity subject
When power is exercised exclusively at the centre, the result is rigidity of rules and alienation of the people subject to those rules.
asylum course opposed seekers society spoke stood trial unlimited vulnerable
We opposed unlimited detention without trial. We stood up for trial by jury as well. And of course we spoke up for asylum seekers and for the most vulnerable in our society.