Papers discuss Kennedy 'crisis'

The admission by Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy that he has an alcohol problem dominates many of Friday's papers.

"A personal problem, a political crisis", is how the Independent heads its coverage of the admission and leadership election.

The Independent thinks his days are numbered as party leader.

In an editorial, it says the admission about alcohol was forced out of him by the media, after persistent denials.

Trust loss

When Mr Kennedy accused the prime minister of having an issue with "trust", it struck home, the paper adds - now he has his own trust issue.

Writing in the Times, Peter Riddell puts it bluntly: "Charles Kennedy is finished as Liberal Democrat leader".

He says it is up to his MPs to consider telling him that his appeal for the support of the membership threatens to prolong the agony, for his party and for him.

The Sun says Mr Kennedy has "not only been a boozer, he's been a fool".

No party leader can be secretly addicted to drink, the Sun says, calling on him to quit, to give the Lib Dems a "sober chance".

Personal courage

The Guardian says the Lib Dem leader should be "saluted, at the personal level, for the action and the example he has offered".

However, it said his failure to quit shows a lack of understanding about his colleagues' recent defiance.

The paper said Mr Kennedy had let his party down by lying to it.

The Daily Mirror said Mr Kennedy had "done a lot for the Liberal Democrats but it is time for him to step down".

Chaos ahead

By lying about his drink problem over many years, he had lost the trust of his senior colleagues, so how could he secure the trust of voters, it asked.

The Daily Mail say Labour and the Tories will benefit from the "chaos" surrounding a leadership crisis.

While praising the leader, the paper said his admission was about "damage limitation" rather than honesty.