Kennedy denies quitting rumours
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has dismissed rumours that he is planning to step down after the next general election.
Newspaper reports over the weekend claimed that he had discussed the issue with senior party figures.
Mr Kennedy telephoned the BBC’s Breakfast with Frost programme from the Highlands to deny speculation that he is planning to leave politics next year.
Reports suggested that Mr Kennedy was planning to leave the House of Commons after next year’s general election and the proposed referendum on the EU constitution.
Speaking from Fort William, the Lib Dems leader said: “I have not been contemplating any such thing and, therefore, I have had no such conversation with any colleagues at all. This is just complete fiction from start to finish, full stop.”
Asked whether he was going to “do a Thatcher” and “go on and on”, Mr Kennedy replied: “God and the electorate willing, yes”.
The Scottish politician has been plagued this year by rumours of poor health and an alleged drinking problem. Speculation intensified after he was forced to miss the chancellor’s Budget Day speech and appeared pale and sweating at the Lib Dems annual spring conference.
Meanwhile, London mayoral candidate Simon Hughes has refused to rule himself out of any future leadership race.
In an interview with The Independent, Mr Hughes said he would not stand for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats if he is elected as Mayor of London, but refused to rule out a bid if Mr Kennedy chose to stand down.
Mr Hughes said: “My view is I take one step at a time. The next job that is coming up is the mayor. I haven’t thought beyond 11 June. If I win that’s the next part of my life sorted.
“Once you have been elected as London mayor you will do the job. You make a commitment and you will see it through. I would serve the term. That was the plan with Charles. We agreed I would go out to win.”
Mr Hughes, 52, has now launched his campaign for London Mayor. He told The Independent that the current mayor, Ken Livingstone, had given Londoners inadequate information about what to do in the event of a terrorist attack and called for new technology such as texting and paging to keep businesses .
