Charles Kennedy famous quotes

Courage is a peculiar kind of fear.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Courage #Peculiar #Kind

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.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Believe #Sides #Cooperation

I can hardly think of an occasion when I've got into a stand-up fight with any political opponent. I've got my views, people know what they are, they can agree or they can choose to disagree. I'm not going to waste time just rubbishing everybody else.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Fighting #Thinking #Views

Further Education should be about the ability to learn, not the ability to pay - everyone who is able should have the opportunity, regardless of their family background. I don't want to see students struggling with huge debts or frightened off even going to university in the first place.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Struggle #Opportunity #Further Education

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

#Taken #Serious #Aspect

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

#Running #Party #Political

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

#Kind #Persons

I want to see far more decisions taken far closer to the patients, the passengers and the pupils. Far more power for locally and regionally elected politicians who understand best the needs of their areas. And far more say too for the dedicated staff at all levels in health and education.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Taken #Decision #Needs

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

#Democrat #Trade

I couldn't imagine a day without music. It relaxes and stimulates me in equal measure and I hate the sound of silence - the concept, I mean, not the track by Simon and Garfunkel.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Hate #Mean #Track

I will go out of this world feet first with my Lib Dem membership card in my pocket.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Feet #Pockets #Cards

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

#Race #Members #Humans

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.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Vote #Describe Me #Behalf

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.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Communication #Essence #Important

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

#Party #People #Trying

You mustn't confuse the need for effective chairmanship, which is part of the job of the boss, along with the ability to take tough decisions and to lead people.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Jobs #People #Decision

The events of the Holocaust viewed through the eyes of Anne Frank are a unique and damming testament to the dreadful atrocities of that period of our history
-- Charles Kennedy

#Eye #Unique #Holocaust

Paddy Ashdown is the only party leader who's a trained killer. Although, to be fair, Mrs Thatcher was self taught.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Party #Self #Leader

Yes, you need substance in politics - but I think your style also says something about how you arrive at some of your conclusions.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Thinking #Style #Needs

I'm a lifelong believer in trade unionism.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Lifelong #Trade #Believer

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

#Thinking #Government #Politician

Immigrants provide skills that we simply cannot afford to do without. They have contributed hugely to Britain's success.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Skills #Britain

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.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Essentials #Cigarette #Accepting

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

#Want #Headlines

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.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Years #People #Age

I'm not someone who dwells upon past events, taking the view that life is too short
-- Charles Kennedy

#Short Life #Life Is Too Short #Life Is Short

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

#Thinking #Sensible

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

#Party #Government #Leader

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.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Believe #Opportunity #Thinking

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

#Thinking #House #Kind

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

#Thinking #Leader #Former

There are hard choices to be made in balancing the country's security and an individual's liberties. But it is a choice that has to be faced.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Country #Choices #Liberty

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.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Country #Voice #Fire

Befriending provides a valuable lifeline to many people who feel isolated in their communities often as a result of ill health or poverty. I would like to thank all those who volunteer as befrienders and I hope that your numbers will increase in coming years. Your kindness and hard work is, I know, very much appreciated by those you help.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Kindness #Hard Work #Years

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

#Honesty #Simple #Justice

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

#Events #Satisfaction #Argument

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

#Unexpected #Wells

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

#Way

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

#Teacher #Children #Expectations

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.
-- Charles Kennedy

#Thinking #Age #Records