Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Charles Kennedy: "Some problems with the script"

Sad news from This is London:
There were fresh fears about Charles Kennedy's health today after he pulled out of hosting an awards ceremony.

Mr Kennedy, who resigned as Liberal Democrat leader after admitting a drink problem, had to be replaced by the BBC's Jeremy Vine just an hour before the event began.

He reportedly stumbled over his lines and struggled to read the autocue. One eyewitness said he was slurring his words and "did not look in a good way."
As Guido Fawkes says, the explanation by a Kennedy spokesman - "I spoke to Charles about the event and I gather some problems with the script occurred" - has the potential of legend about it.

Like all Lib Dem members, I wish Charles well. But I fear those who have been conducting polls on how soon he should return to the front bench have been rather premature.

2 comments:

Paul Linford said...

Do you wish him well? I suspect the only way he's going to get well is if people stop publicising his difficulties. Is it any wonder he appears to have fallen off the wagon since the Hurst book appeared?

Jonathan Calder said...

Yes, I do wish him well. That is what I hoped to convey by using the words "I wish Charles well".

But the widespread belief that someone who appears to have a serious drink problem can return to frontline politics within a few months seems wishful thinking to me.

Indeed, given the way politics is awash with alcohol, this is probably the worst thing that Charles could try to do.