Tributes have been flooding in after ex-Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy dies at the age of 55
Mr Kennedy was leader from 1999 to 2006, including 2005 when the party got its best ever result
Under his leadership the party opposed the 2003 Iraq War
Image source, PA"There is genuine public perception that we are being bulldozed into a war not of our choosing and not - on the basis of the evidence so far - vital to national interests."
These are the words of Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy before the war in Iraq. To read more quotes from Mr Kennedy across a range of issues, click here.
Laura Kuenssberg
Newsnight Chief Correspondent
A lot will be written today about Charles Kennedy, most of it by journalists like me who knew him a little, but not a lot, who will seek, through their own anecdotes to try to illustrate something of the man, and his impact on British politics in the last few decades. That will be discussed through the course of the day. For now, he was an unusual thing in politics - kind and clever, and he treated everyone he came across equally, truly. There will be few tributes written by those who truly knew him well. One of them, well worth a read is here , external
Image source, PANicola Sturgeon says:
Quote MessageI've got some very fond memories of Charles Kennedy. He and I went on a study trip to Australia in the mid-1990s and perhaps my fondest memory, if a slightly bizarre one, is the two of us skiving off to see Trainspotting in a Melbourne cinema. I think we were the only two Scots in the audience at the time so we were drawing some strange looks as we were laughing uproariously at jokes nobody else in the audience was getting."
Image source, APActing Labour leader Harriet Harman says Mr Kennedy was "deeply progressive" and a "delightful person with a great intellect".
Image source, PAScotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says:
Quote Message"It's a dreadfully sad day for Scottish and UK politics. The news about Charles Kennedy is stunning and absolutely tragic. Charles was one of these rare things in British politics, he was a brilliant and effective politician, perhaps one of the most talented politicians of his generation. And yet somehow he managed to be universally liked."
SNP MP tweets...
BBC News Channel
Former Liberal leader David Steel says he will miss Mr Kennedy as a "very dear friend" who was "great fun to be with".
He says Mr Kennedy "understood" the rise of the SNP in Scotland, but "wasn't expecting to be swept away by it" at the election.
"I know that from the conversation I had with him just before the election but, you know, that's politics. That happened and he was just swept away in the tide."
Christine Nairn:
Charles Kennedy was an amazing politician who served his Highland constituents so well.
Iain Marshall:
Knew Charles from school. He was a thoroughly decent, genuinely good person. So sad to hear this tragic news.
Victoria Derbyshire
Quote MessageHe was a natural, he wasn't surrounded by spin doctors or an entourage. He was very much his own man...That came across to the public - they liked his approach, they liked him appearing on these chat shows. He was known scoffingly in the Commons as 'Chat Show Charlie' but I think that was jealousy. That was part of his effectiveness as a human being."
Lord Steel, Liberal Party leader, 1976-1988
Image source, AFPDavid Mundell, Secretary of State for Scotland, says:
Quote Message"I have known Charles for over 30 years. He was an outstanding Scottish and British politician who was deeply committed to the Highlands and held in high esteem across the political spectrum for his judgement and principles. He was a genuinely nice man and his sense of humour and fun will be hugely missed. My sincere condolences go to his family at this terrible time.”
Victoria Derbyshire
Former Lib Dem MP Lembit Opik says he was "not surprised" by Mr Kennedy's death, saying politics was "his life" and losing his seat last month would have been a major blow.
"He had a hunger to serve people - 32 years of it," he says. "I thought that he needed to get into the House of Lords quickly because that institution was enormously supportive."
Former Labour MP tweets...
Image source, PAClick here to view the BBC's picture gallery of the life of Charles Kennedy.
Image source, ReutersScottish Labour leader Jim Murphy says the UK has lost a "political giant". He adds:
Quote Message"Although we came from different political traditions, Charles was a man I was proud to call a friend. When I was first elected to the House of Commons back in 1997 as a young 29-year old, Charles was one of the first people to offer me support and guidance. He didn't have to, but he did. That's just the kind of man he was. Despite the sadness, those of us who knew him will remember the good times. We will look back at Charles' wit and good humour. In years to come we will remember with a smile the delight in knowing him, his huge contribution to politics and a life lost too soon."
In his 2001 book, The Future of Politics, Mr Kennedy looked back on his early life and career:
Quote Message"The story begins in the West Highlands of Scotland in November 1959 and I cannot tell you where it might yet end. My first visit to London was not until the age of 17; my third visit was as a newly elected Member of Parliament in 1983. A friend put me up, in those first few crazy weeks, in his spare bedroom in Hammersmith. I didn't know how you got to Hammersmith from Heathrow airport. I had no idea where Hammersmith stood geographically in relation to Westminster. It was a fast learning curve."
Victoria Derbyshire
Quote MessageI think we're all shocked and saddened. He was a wonderfully talented man....he was our most successful political leader, led us to our best ever election results - twice - and he led the country in opposition to the Iraq war, which was a courageous position to take up. It wasn't fashionable at the time. And it stemmed from very shrewd political judgement,
Vince Cable
Asked about the point when Mr Kennedy was "ousted" as Lib Dem leader in 2006 after his alcoholism became public knowledge, Mr Clegg says:
Quote Message"Charles Kennedy on form, on a good day when he was feeling strong and happy, had more political talent in his little finger than the rest of us put together and that's why everyone just felt, and still of course feels today, that it was just so tragic to see someone with such huge gifts also struggle as many people do with the demons that clearly beset him and the problems that he acknowledged he had with alcohol."
Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg says:
Quote MessageIt's just desperately, desperately sad that Charles should have died so young, leaving behind a young son who he was devoted to. Charles was the absolute polar opposite of your cardboard cut-out, point-scoring politician. He was funny but also very thoughtful. He was tremendously kind but very courageous."
Today Programme
BBC Radio 4
Greg Hurst, author of the book Charles Kennedy: A Tragic Flaw - a reference to Mr Kennedy's alcoholism - says Mr Kennedy was "quite a shy man".
He says Mr Kennedy found it "quite an effort" to maintain his public persona, and sometimes felt like an "outsider" at Westminster.