Quotes By Charles Kennedy

It is true that I entered parliament at the age of 23, and have now been representing the people of my constituency for over twenty years.

I don't want a headline saying 'Kennedy suggests this or implies that.'

To be seen to be human, provided you're doing your job at the same time, is definitely not a negative, not at all.

The one thing we can all be sure about in politics is you are as well to expect the unexpected.

Politicians are good at saying how Government must do more, but we must also think carefully about where Government should do less.

You won't catch Liberal Democrats describing trade unionists as wreckers.

My approach is always to try to be straight with people, especially about what my party can achieve.

We would all rather see Iraq resolved successfully.

I'm a fully paid-up member of the human race.

My health is good and it's up to me to keep it that way.

The quicker we get rid of the lobby system the better for all of us. I don't think in this day and age it is tenable to have these nods and winks, and on-the-record and off-the-record briefings.

There stands no contradiction between giving voice to legitimate anxiety and at the same time, as and when exchange of fire commences, looking to the rest of the country, as well as all of us in the House, to give full moral support to our forces.

We should have high expectations of our children, but politicians should not tell teachers how to meet them.

We Liberal Democrats believe in dialogue. We believe in cooperation with both sides of industry and between both sides of industry. And we believe in the language of cooperation. We reject the language of confrontation.

Politics is much too serious to be taken too seriously; equally, there are many aspects of it so laughable as to be lamentable.

Courage is a peculiar kind of fear.

For any new leader of any party at any given time it takes time if you are not in government to establish yourself.

Three simple words - freedom, justice and honesty. These sum up what the Liberal Democrats stand for.

I'm a lifelong believer in trade unionism.

I think that former leaders are best seen occasionally and not too often heard - particularly on the subject of their successors!

There is no satisfaction to be derived from having had many of our arguments borne out by events.

Music and politics are in essence about communication. Without over-stretching the analogy I do feel a sense of rhythm is important in getting your message across.

I believe that access to a university education should be based on the ability to learn, not what people can afford. I think there is no more nauseating a sight than politicians pulling up the ladder of opportunity behind them.

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.

To run an effective political party you need a degree of tribalism, it's the glue that holds everyone together.

With 24-hour news... the story moves on with the media.

I am genuinely not an over-the-top kind of person about politics or anything else.

I should do something about the cigarettes; I quite accept that it's bad for your health, but you know a moderate tipple is positively beneficial and, at certain times, absolutely essential.

I do think there is a great deal of caricature around the House of Commons. It is just that kind of place.

Actually, I think it's quite sensible not to take yourself too seriously.