I listened to the students on campus in Plymouth, worried about their steadily deepening debts and how on earth they would ever escape them. – Charles Kennedy
I believe that our country is a richer, more vibrant society precisely because it is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic society. – Charles Kennedy
Political parties need to look at the different kinds of support that people may need, suited to their way of life, and provide cost-effective solutions. – Charles Kennedy
Professionally I would say taking up my constituents’ problems is something I continue to enjoy after 22 years as an MP. – Charles Kennedy
It’s our job as Liberal Democrats to be an effective opposition – and an increasingly tough one as well. – Charles Kennedy
I’m not someone who dwells upon past events, taking the view that life is too short. – Charles Kennedy
Valuing public servants would boost morale among those on the front line of implementing government policy. – Charles Kennedy
If you were to describe me as teetotal, on behalf of my constituency I’d have to sue; that would lose me every vote in the Highlands. – Charles Kennedy
Terrorism gravely threatens international peace and security, and as a solution, the power and apparent finality of force are seductive. – Charles Kennedy
I couldn’t imagine a day without music. It relaxes and stimulates me in equal measure and I hate the sound of silence – the concept, I mean, not the track by Simon and Garfunkel. – Charles Kennedy
Britain is a European power. We cannot change our geography. Our involvement in the politics of European cooperation is one of necessity. Our wealth and our security depend upon it. – Charles Kennedy
It is the government’s fundamental duty to ensure the security of every individual citizen. – Charles Kennedy
The House of Lords has many fine aspects, but at its heart, it is a betrayal of the core democratic principle that those in the enlightened world hold so dear – that those who make the laws of the land should be elected by those who must obey those laws. – Charles Kennedy
It has been the greatest privilege of my adult and public life to have served, for 32 years, as the Member of Parliament for our local Highlands and Islands communities. – Charles Kennedy
When it comes to our public services, decentralisation means giving power back to those on the front line – our doctors, nurses, teachers and physiotherapists, and our locally elected officials. – Charles Kennedy
As someone who has led his party through two general elections, I have not always been immune from feeling the pressure of electioneering tactics. – Charles Kennedy
Just as we Liberal Democrats opposed the flawed logic of that war in Iraq – we will oppose the flawed government claim that we have to surrender our fundamental rights in order to improve our security. – Charles Kennedy
Whatever the eventual judgment, the political implications of Hutton are already clear. A devastating indictment of Labour in power – and of our political system itself. – Charles Kennedy
Those who use our public services should be able to deal directly with those who manage and deliver them. – Charles Kennedy
I think you’ve got to like people. There are MPs who are either painfully shy or who don’t like public speaking or don’t socialise very well, and you just think this must be the worst job in the world for them. – Charles Kennedy
Soon after the 1997 election, I argued that there was no inverse law of political gravity which said that everything which went down had to come back up. – Charles Kennedy
There is always a temptation for governments: see a problem and announce a quick fix. – Charles Kennedy
To run an effective political party you need a degree of tribalism, it’s the glue that holds everyone together. – Charles Kennedy
Speaking to numerous teachers and nurses, I am consistently struck by the sense of mission they have about their work. – Charles Kennedy
People have a huge desire to be listened to, for politicians to take the time to understand their problems. – Charles Kennedy
We Liberal Democrats don’t believe we should use the tax structure to champion just one type of family. – Charles Kennedy