So sad about Charles

I can't say I knew Charles Kennedy at all well, but he was a shrewd political operator, a gentle and humane man and I feel terribly sad that he's gone.

I've written a response to the news in the Guardian this morning that emphasised his key role, both in the formation of the Lib Dems and in its original ethos.  It would never have happened if it wasn't for him.

The House of Commons is something of a curse for those who enter it too young.  It is terribly hard to escape its cosy, vacuous embrace, and spewing you out again at the age of 55 can't have been easy for him. I used to identify with him for his obvious shyness and self-doubt, and actually I think - for so many people - that was the source of his appeal.

Read what I wrote this morning here.

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