Kennedy, Charles

Kennedy, Charles
▪ 2000

      In August 1999 Charles Kennedy succeeded Paddy Ashdown as leader of the U.K.'s third largest party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He took over a party that had 46 members of Parliament, more than at any time since 1931. Born in Inverness, Scot., on Nov. 25, 1959, Kennedy went to school in the Scottish highlands, followed by the University of Glasgow; he also studied at Indiana University in the U.S. in the early 1980s as a Fulbright scholar. He interrupted his studies to return to Scotland in May 1983 to stand in that year's general election as the candidate of the short-lived Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the vast, thinly populated highlands seat of Ross, Cromarty, and Skye. To widespread astonishment, not least his own, he captured the seat from the Conservatives, and at the age of 23 he entered Parliament as its youngest member.

      An engaging, witty, quick-thinking, and irreverent politician, Kennedy soon became one of the SDP's most regular performers on radio and television, appearing not only on news and current affairs programs but also on lighter programs, such as quiz shows. When the majority of the SDP decided in 1988 to merge with the Liberal Party against the wishes of the party's leader, David Owen, Kennedy became a prominent member of the merged party, the LDP. Three years later he was elected to the titular post of party president. He held the post for four years before standing down. In 1995 Kennedy became vice-chairman of the European Movement, an all-party campaign supporting greater European integration.

      In January 1999 Ashdown, who had led the LDP since 1988, announced that he would step down that summer. Kennedy was one of five candidates to contest the succession, but it soon became clear that the two leading candidates would be Kennedy and Simon Hughes, the MP for the deprived, inner-London constituency of Southwark and Bermondsey. Although not as close personally to Prime Minister Tony Blair of the Labour Party as Ashdown had been, Kennedy was effectively the continuity candidate. He promised to continue Ashdown's strategy of working closely with the Labour government on some issues, such as constitutional reform, while opposing it on others, such as social policy (where the LDP criticized the government for spending too little). Hughes, who argued for a change of strategy, wanted the party to revert to the traditional Liberal posture of equal hostility to Labour and the Conservatives. In a closely fought contest, the result of which was announced on August 9, Kennedy defeated Hughes on the fourth count, after the other three candidates had been eliminated, by 57–43%, without saddling the LDP with the electorally disastrous reputation of being more left-wing.

Peter Kellner

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Kennedy, Charles Ran — (1871 1950)    Born in Derby, England, he first acted in America in 1903 and continued performing until his retirement in 1927. Meanwhile, he also wrote plays, notably a religious drama titled The Servant in the House (1908). His other plays… …   The Historical Dictionary of the American Theater

  • Charles Kennedy — (* 25. November 1959 in Inverness) war vom 9. August 1999 bis 7. Januar 2006 der Vorsitzende der Liberal Democrats, der drittstärksten Partei Großbritanniens. Bei den Unterhauswahlen vom 5. Mai 2005 trat er gegen den amtierenden Premierminister… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Charles Rann Kennedy — (1808 December 17, 1867) was an English lawyer and classicist, best remembered for his involvement in the Swinfen will case and the issues of contingency fee agreements and legal ethics that it involved. Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 Family …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Rann Kennedy (playwright) — Charles Rann Kennedy Charles Rann Kennedy (born Derby, England, 14 February 1871; died Los Angeles, California, 16 February 1950) was an Anglo American dramatist. Contents …   Wikipedia

  • Kennedy (Name) — Kennedy ist ein Familienname. Herkunft und Bedeutung Kennedy ist ein Name gälischer Herkunft. Die Bedeutung ist Schwarzer Kopf . Varianten Varianten des Namens sind Kennedie oder O Kennedy. Die irische Schreibweise ist Cinneide, die Schottische… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Charles A. Kennedy — Charles Augustus Kennedy (March 24, 1869 January 10, 1951) was a seven term Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa s 1st congressional district in southeastern Iowa. Born in Montrose, Iowa, Kennedy completed preparatory studies. He was… …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Hudson — (4 de octubre de 1828 – 14 de julio de 1865) fue un capellán anglicano y montañero de Skillington, Lincolnshire, Inglaterra. Hudson fue uno de los más importantes montañeros de la edad de oro del alpinismo. Caminante extremadamente fuerte, está… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Charles Hudson (climber) — Charles Hudson Charles Hudson (4 October 1828 – 14 July 1865) was an Anglican chaplain and mountain climber from Skillington, Lincolnshire, England. Hudson was one of the most important climbers of the golden age of alpinism. An immensely strong… …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Kennedy (umpire) — Charles Kennedy Born Charles Kennedy 1871 Baltic, Connecticut Died February 21, 1911 Van Meter, Massachusetts Occupation Umpire Years active 1904 Employer …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Hudson — gravure de Edward Whymper Le révérend Charles Hudson (né le 4 octobre 1828 – et mort le 14 juillet 1865 au Cervin) est un chapelain anglican et alpiniste anglais. Ce fut l un des principaux alpinistes de l âge d or de la conquête des Alpes, dans… …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”