London
The head of the Liberal Democratic Party stepped down last week after admitting he had been struggling with alcoholism. Charles Kennedy’s alcoholism was about to be exposed by a TV station when he acknowledged his drinking problem and offered to hold a new election for party leader. But for many Liberal Democratic members of Parliament, the offer wasn’t enough; they demanded and received his resignation. Other politicians found the outcome harsh. “Kennedy confronted his problems and appealed for support,” said Alex Salmond of the Scottish National Party, “but his MPs have responded by knifing him in the front.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Political cartoons for October 26Cartoons Sunday’s editorial cartoons include Young Republicans group chat, Louvre robbery, and more
-
Why Britain is struggling to stop the ransomware cyberattacksThe Explainer New business models have greatly lowered barriers to entry for criminal hackers
-
Greene’s rebellion: a Maga hardliner turns against TrumpIn the Spotlight The Georgia congresswoman’s independent streak has ‘not gone unnoticed’ by the president
