A DRINKING culture at the House of Commons contributed “quite a lot” to Charles Kennedy’s problems with alcohol, his partner has said.
The former Liberal Democrat leader, 55, died suddenly at his home in Fort William in July. He had had a major haemorrhage, connected to his long battle with alcoholism.
His body was discovered by his partner Carole Macdonald. In her first interview since Kennedy’s death, Macdonald revealed she believes a drinking culture at Westminster – where Kennedy spent 32 years as an MP – had played a part in his problem with alcohol.
She told a Sunday newspaper: “You are in an environment, often late at night, where drink is available, cheap, sociable, and you don’t have to drive. All the constraints that might stop you aren’t there. It is there and it is being normalised within your life.
“I don’t think it caused it, but I’m sure it contributed to it. I suppose it must have contributed quite a lot.”
Kennedy, who lost his Ross, Skye and Lochaber seat at the General Election in May, revealed he had been receiving treatment for an alcohol problem when he stood down as the UK leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Macdonald also revealed that in the week before he died, Kennedy’s health had deteriorated.
“I spoke to him on the Sunday night before he died. He was going to the Belford [hospital, in Fort William] the following morning.
“I knew he needed help and needed to get things stabilised but I had no idea it could have that devastating effect and neither did he.”
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