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| Charles Kennedy confidante: 'He had so many tragedies thrown at him' | Charles Kennedy confidante: 'He had so many tragedies thrown at him' |
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| A veteran Liberal Democrat activist who helped select Charles Kennedy on the first occasion he stood for parliament revealed that she had a series of painful conversations with the late MP about the consequences of his drinking. | A veteran Liberal Democrat activist who helped select Charles Kennedy on the first occasion he stood for parliament revealed that she had a series of painful conversations with the late MP about the consequences of his drinking. |
| Speaking after the sudden death of the former Liberal Democrat leader at his home in Fort William on Monday, Celia Munro, who became a close confidante of Kennedy after he entered parliament, told the Guardian how she tried to assist him with the help of her late husband, John Farquhar Munro, a former Lib Dem MSP. | Speaking after the sudden death of the former Liberal Democrat leader at his home in Fort William on Monday, Celia Munro, who became a close confidante of Kennedy after he entered parliament, told the Guardian how she tried to assist him with the help of her late husband, John Farquhar Munro, a former Lib Dem MSP. |
| Speaking from her home in Glen Sheil, in the north-west Highlands, Munro explained that her husband had been a member of Alcoholics Anonymous “and he was always there to talk to him. They understood each other because of this, but it’s a hard one. | Speaking from her home in Glen Sheil, in the north-west Highlands, Munro explained that her husband had been a member of Alcoholics Anonymous “and he was always there to talk to him. They understood each other because of this, but it’s a hard one. |
| “[Alcoholism] is a fearful, fearful thing. I’ve seen it in other people that my husband tried to help over the years. One can only assume that in the end he still couldn’t reach the help he needed.” | “[Alcoholism] is a fearful, fearful thing. I’ve seen it in other people that my husband tried to help over the years. One can only assume that in the end he still couldn’t reach the help he needed.” |
| Munro said she had many painful conversations with Kennedy, who had become “virtually part of the family” over the years, about his drinking. “I spoke to him very explicitly about it on many occasions. It was hard, like having your own child in front of you, and trying to reason with them. We sat many times with him. | Munro said she had many painful conversations with Kennedy, who had become “virtually part of the family” over the years, about his drinking. “I spoke to him very explicitly about it on many occasions. It was hard, like having your own child in front of you, and trying to reason with them. We sat many times with him. |
| “He had so many tragedies thrown at him,” Munro explained, “and we all have our demons.” | “He had so many tragedies thrown at him,” Munro explained, “and we all have our demons.” |
| Kennedy’s body was found at his home by his partner, Carole Macdonald, 57, the godmother to his son, Donald, and widow of one of his oldest friends, Murdo Macdonald, who died from cancer in 2007. A spokesperson for Police Scotland confirmed that officers had attended the scene of the death. “There are no suspicious circumstances and our report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.” | Kennedy’s body was found at his home by his partner, Carole Macdonald, 57, the godmother to his son, Donald, and widow of one of his oldest friends, Murdo Macdonald, who died from cancer in 2007. A spokesperson for Police Scotland confirmed that officers had attended the scene of the death. “There are no suspicious circumstances and our report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.” |
| A family friend said Kennedy had been careful to keep the couple’s relationship private, and keen to protect Macdonald from the challenges and intrusions of public life. But Macdonald had helped Kennedy during his election campaign, driving him to and from events. | A family friend said Kennedy had been careful to keep the couple’s relationship private, and keen to protect Macdonald from the challenges and intrusions of public life. But Macdonald had helped Kennedy during his election campaign, driving him to and from events. |
| The friend said Macdonald had been a source of strength for Kennedy, helping him fight his alcoholism. “She’s a really nice person, very practical, very straightforward,” the friend said. “She obviously was a very positive influence and had helped definitely; she made him very happy.” | The friend said Macdonald had been a source of strength for Kennedy, helping him fight his alcoholism. “She’s a really nice person, very practical, very straightforward,” the friend said. “She obviously was a very positive influence and had helped definitely; she made him very happy.” |
| Kennedy had referred to his long friendship with Murdo Macdonald in his acceptance speech on his election as rector of Glasgow University in 2008; the two men had run Glasgow University Union, one of two student unions on campus, in 1980-81. | Kennedy had referred to his long friendship with Murdo Macdonald in his acceptance speech on his election as rector of Glasgow University in 2008; the two men had run Glasgow University Union, one of two student unions on campus, in 1980-81. |
| Fighting back tears, Kennedy had told the audience: “My best friend is not here tonight. His widow is in this room. She is an MA of this university. I wish he was here tonight, too. He would be very proud.” | Fighting back tears, Kennedy had told the audience: “My best friend is not here tonight. His widow is in this room. She is an MA of this university. I wish he was here tonight, too. He would be very proud.” |
| While Kennedy’s unexpected death at the age of 55 prompted friends to reflect on his troubled relationship with alcohol and the series of family tragedies which had placed him under cumulative stress in recent years, others emphasised that his spirits had been relatively buoyant despite his general election defeat in early May. | While Kennedy’s unexpected death at the age of 55 prompted friends to reflect on his troubled relationship with alcohol and the series of family tragedies which had placed him under cumulative stress in recent years, others emphasised that his spirits had been relatively buoyant despite his general election defeat in early May. |
| Another close friend of Kennedy, the former leader of the Scottish Lib Dems Tavish Scott, said he did not accept claims that the late MP had been brought low by the loss of his seat of Ross, Skye and Lochaber, which he had held for more than three decades. | Another close friend of Kennedy, the former leader of the Scottish Lib Dems Tavish Scott, said he did not accept claims that the late MP had been brought low by the loss of his seat of Ross, Skye and Lochaber, which he had held for more than three decades. |
| “He was in fantastic form, even after the general election, and talking about taking a leading role – if asked – in the EU referendum campaign, as well as thinking about standing for Holyrood next year. He was very thoughtful about how to maintain and resurrect his political career,” Scott said. | “He was in fantastic form, even after the general election, and talking about taking a leading role – if asked – in the EU referendum campaign, as well as thinking about standing for Holyrood next year. He was very thoughtful about how to maintain and resurrect his political career,” Scott said. |
| Jamie Stone, another close friend and former Lib Dem MSP for the Highlands, described a text message exchange with Kennedy last week, in which he joked about elevation to the House of Lords. “He said that he was in London with the kids, packing up his office, and keeping up the political fight.” | Jamie Stone, another close friend and former Lib Dem MSP for the Highlands, described a text message exchange with Kennedy last week, in which he joked about elevation to the House of Lords. “He said that he was in London with the kids, packing up his office, and keeping up the political fight.” |
| Other friends insisted that Kennedy’s struggles with his drinking should not dominate tributes to him. Journalist and broadcaster James Cox, who became friendly with Kennedy after being the first person to interview him for television following his 1983 election victory, said: “The danger is that the alcohol will overtake all the other things about him. Alcoholism is an illness, not a lifestyle choice, and it was only latterly that it became more serious for him. It was not the most important thing about him or his career. I don’t think this was a ‘fatal flaw’, it was something that was wrong with him.” | |
| This was echoed by author and broadcaster Muriel Gray, who bonded with Kennedy over their shared love of the Highland landscape, and said: “Most of all [he was] a man who always meant well, struggling with a terrible illness.” | |
| Munro said Kennedy had been pragmatic about the likelihood of losing his seat. “It wasn’t a case of the voters dumping him – it was a swing all across Scotland. He was aware what was going to happen and we talked about it. He was aware of the size of the swing that he was facing.” | Munro said Kennedy had been pragmatic about the likelihood of losing his seat. “It wasn’t a case of the voters dumping him – it was a swing all across Scotland. He was aware what was going to happen and we talked about it. He was aware of the size of the swing that he was facing.” |
| Munro recalled being on the committee that picked Kennedy for his first general election candidacy, which led to him becoming an MP at the age of 23. | Munro recalled being on the committee that picked Kennedy for his first general election candidacy, which led to him becoming an MP at the age of 23. |
| “What everybody else in the world saw later, we saw first. The fact that we had this startling speaker and a young person with such political insight was easy to sell to the voters.” | “What everybody else in the world saw later, we saw first. The fact that we had this startling speaker and a young person with such political insight was easy to sell to the voters.” |
| Kennedy later became an integral part of her family: her daughter worked as his personal assistant in Inverness for 25 years, her grandchildren were his footsoldiers delivering leaflets, and her husband held a cord at the funeral of Kennedy’s mother. | Kennedy later became an integral part of her family: her daughter worked as his personal assistant in Inverness for 25 years, her grandchildren were his footsoldiers delivering leaflets, and her husband held a cord at the funeral of Kennedy’s mother. |
| The tragedies that Munro referred to earlier go some way to explaining the extraordinary stress under which Kennedy found himself in recent years, culminating in the death of his father last month. | The tragedies that Munro referred to earlier go some way to explaining the extraordinary stress under which Kennedy found himself in recent years, culminating in the death of his father last month. |
| His mother, Mary, had died in 2013. A year later – close to the anniversary of their mother’s death – his older brother, Ian, was paralysed after a fall in his kitchen, leaving him in need of 24-hour care. | His mother, Mary, had died in 2013. A year later – close to the anniversary of their mother’s death – his older brother, Ian, was paralysed after a fall in his kitchen, leaving him in need of 24-hour care. |
| A sense of devotion and duty meant Kennedy regarded himself as his family’s primary carer, and wrestling with the pressure of supporting his paralysed brother and elderly parents exacerbated his struggle with alcoholism and what many of his friends and allies feared were periods of undiagnosed depression. | A sense of devotion and duty meant Kennedy regarded himself as his family’s primary carer, and wrestling with the pressure of supporting his paralysed brother and elderly parents exacerbated his struggle with alcoholism and what many of his friends and allies feared were periods of undiagnosed depression. |
| His friends and senior officials within the party complained privately that he was unwilling to seek or accept professional help for his alcoholism; some suggested his depressive bouts and drinking were accepted within the Lochaber community as a private matter rather than a source of shame. | His friends and senior officials within the party complained privately that he was unwilling to seek or accept professional help for his alcoholism; some suggested his depressive bouts and drinking were accepted within the Lochaber community as a private matter rather than a source of shame. |
| But the drinking, depression and his sense of family duty meant he was frequently called off events and appointments and the party was constantly worried he would fail to appear at speaking engagements. | But the drinking, depression and his sense of family duty meant he was frequently called off events and appointments and the party was constantly worried he would fail to appear at speaking engagements. |
| On Tuesday, close friends of Kennedy rejected allegations that he was drunk on one of his final national media appearances, on Question Time on 12 March; claims fuelled on Twitter after he appeared confused and befuddled, and at times stumbled over his words. | On Tuesday, close friends of Kennedy rejected allegations that he was drunk on one of his final national media appearances, on Question Time on 12 March; claims fuelled on Twitter after he appeared confused and befuddled, and at times stumbled over his words. |
| They revealed that Kennedy was in shock after being told shortly before going on air that his frail 88-year-old father, Ian, had been taken to hospital after breaking his hip and was about to undergo emergency surgery. | They revealed that Kennedy was in shock after being told shortly before going on air that his frail 88-year-old father, Ian, had been taken to hospital after breaking his hip and was about to undergo emergency surgery. |
| Rather than cancel and fly home, Kennedy decided to continue with the show. “That was Charlie being upset beyond belief and distracted,” said Conn O’Neill, Kennedy’s election campaign manager. | Rather than cancel and fly home, Kennedy decided to continue with the show. “That was Charlie being upset beyond belief and distracted,” said Conn O’Neill, Kennedy’s election campaign manager. |
| Kennedy’s aides said he had refused to allow them to make that information public, despite the damage to his reputation. He did not wish to appear to be using his family as an excuse and wanted to protect their privacy. | Kennedy’s aides said he had refused to allow them to make that information public, despite the damage to his reputation. He did not wish to appear to be using his family as an excuse and wanted to protect their privacy. |
| His father died on 5 April, four weeks after going into hospital at Raigmore in Inverness and a month before the general election. | His father died on 5 April, four weeks after going into hospital at Raigmore in Inverness and a month before the general election. |
| Munro said his death hit Kennedy hard, further setting back his ailing re-election campaign. | Munro said his death hit Kennedy hard, further setting back his ailing re-election campaign. |
| “He was absolutely dedicated to looking after his family,” she said. “They were very close. He was heartbroken when his daddy died during the campaign.” | “He was absolutely dedicated to looking after his family,” she said. “They were very close. He was heartbroken when his daddy died during the campaign.” |
| Worried that the Lib Dems’ poor reputation at national level was undermining Kennedy’s chances and desperate to make him more visible to build up his personal vote, aides and the party had been struggling to get him to hit the campaign trail and use his famous charm and approachability to woo voters. | Worried that the Lib Dems’ poor reputation at national level was undermining Kennedy’s chances and desperate to make him more visible to build up his personal vote, aides and the party had been struggling to get him to hit the campaign trail and use his famous charm and approachability to woo voters. |
| Scott, who got to know Kennedy when he worked as a parliamentary researcher for Jim Wallace, said: “He was a Highlander first. All that made up his character, his upbringing and his values, were Highland.” | Scott, who got to know Kennedy when he worked as a parliamentary researcher for Jim Wallace, said: “He was a Highlander first. All that made up his character, his upbringing and his values, were Highland.” |
| Those values included, said Scott, a fiercely protective attitude to his family, as well as the fact that “he cared about people at the end of the road”. | Those values included, said Scott, a fiercely protective attitude to his family, as well as the fact that “he cared about people at the end of the road”. |