It's Wales@Westminster weblog, BBC Wales' Parliamentary correspondent David Cornock's diary on political life.
Monday 9 January
A shadowy world
posted by David | 1205 GMT |
The late Eric Morecambe suggested that one test of a person's character is how he or she treats someone of absolutely no use to them. On that test, Charles Kennedy is one of the more decent politicians around Westminster.
Usually approachable, friendly and accessible, he is not one of those senior political figures who spend conversations looking over your shoulder for someone higher up the political food chain to talk to. Even those who plotted his removal will wish him well in battling alcoholism.
One of the surprises of the current Lib Dem crisis is the sheer number of party frontbenchers or spokespeople.
The 62 MPs take up barely two benches in the Commons, yet almost every MP to take to the airwaves is described as a frontbencher. It's a pretty crowded front bench.
The Lib Dems even have their own shadow cabinet, a title once reserved for the official opposition at Westminster. Perhaps the Lib Dem version should be known as the shadow shadow cabinet.
With relatively few MPs, it is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid Lib Dems on radio and TV.
I watched a whole hour of television at the weekend without spotting the ubiquitous Lembit Opik. I was so concerned by the media absence of the currently unavoidable leader of the Welsh Lib Dems that I rang his office to check he was okay.
The current favourite to succeed Charles Kennedy is his deputy, Sir Menzies (known as "Ming") Campbell. He is widely respected across all parties, but at 64 is old enough to be David Cameron's father.
He has won the support of some of the younger Lib Dem MPs, including some tipped as future leaders. Young cardinals tend to vote for old popes. (By the way, should Sir Ming's supporters be known as mingons or mingers?)
Mr Cameron has been criticised for changing his mind (and Conservative policy) on some of the key issues only months after the General Election, yet even he cannot match the speedy U-turn of one of the newer Lib Dem MPs.
This was Jenny Willott (from Cardiff Central) on Friday morning: "Charles Kennedy is a massive asset to the party, and people should remember that the party has got the most MPs it has ever had for 80 years.
"He says he has been receiving treatment and has not had a drink for two months, and I don't see why he can't continue his job as leader."
A few hours later she was the only Welsh Lib Dem MP to sign a statement calling on Mr Kennedy to step down.
An afternoon truly is a long time in Lib Dem politics.
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