News reports this evening suggest that Charles Kennedy's has now lost the confidence of almost half the parliamentary party. In these circumstances it is obvious that he must resign as Liberal Democrat leader.
His belief that he can stay in office by appealing to the membership over the heads of his colleagues is absurd. Is there no one in his inner circle with the sense or courage to tell him this?
The longer this affair drags on, the more damage will be caused to the party. And the more damage there will be to Charles Kennedy's reputation.
That will be a shame, given the affection in which he currently held by the party's membership and the wider public.
Lynne Featherstone's blog sums up the frustration a lot of us feel I think - sad that it has got to this, but do the decent thing now Charles - and go: http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2006/01/charles-kennedys-leadership.htm
ReplyDeleteLib Dem MPs have shown themselves no different from the Tories who ditched the leader (IDS) their membership chose, or the Labour Government that ignores its own party policy. How many Lib Dems were smug during while the Tories tried to give the power to choose their leader back to MPs, thinking 'at least we trust our members'?
ReplyDeletePaul, perhaps the trouble is that our leader wasn't willing to "trust the members" enough to tell us about his problems six months ago.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been braver, and the situation wouldn't have been as difficult as it is now.
I don't blame the MPs for a lack of loyalty. They have been in a desperately difficult situation.