海角大神

Charles聽Kennedy聽was a rare thing 鈥� a genuinely popular British politician 鈥� and brought his Liberal Democrat party record success before his leadership was cut short by alcoholism.

His death at 55 brought tributes Tuesday from across politics and beyond for a man whose wit and warmth made him stand out from the pack.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said聽Kennedy's聽death "robs Britain of one of the most gifted politicians of his generation."

"Charles聽Kennedy聽on form, on a good day when he was feeling strong and happy, had more political talent in his little finger than the rest of us put together," Clegg told Sky News.

Kennedy's聽family said in a statement that he died Monday at his home in the Scottish Highlands. They did not reveal the cause of death and said a post-mortem would be conducted. Police said聽Kennedy's聽death did not appear suspicious.

Nicknamed "Chat-show Charlie," because of his many television appearances,聽Kennedy聽was known for gregariousness and a light-hearted, common touch. He was elected to Parliament at 23 in 1983, and succeeded Paddy Ashdown as leader of the center-left party in 1999.

Under his leadership, the Liberal Democrats were the only major party to oppose the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.聽Kennedy聽predicted that the legacy of the messy, divisive war would haunt then-Prime Minister Tony Blair of the Labour Party, saying in 2006 that "on the political tombstone of this prime minister will be one word 鈥� Iraq."

In the 2005 election, the Liberal Democrats won 62 seats in the House of Commons, the party's best result for 80 years.

Kennedy's聽fondness for a drink had long been the source of political gossip. When confronted by a television expose about his drinking,聽Kennedy聽tried to hold on to the leadership but failed. He resigned in 2006.

He was hardly the first British politician with an alcohol problem. Parliament's long hours and subsidized bars have long indulged a culture of heavy drinking. But聽Kennedy聽was among the first publicly to acknowledge alcoholism.

Kennedy聽remained a popular lawmaker and in 2010 he voted against having the Liberal Democrats enter a coalition government with David Cameron's Conservatives 鈥� to no avail.

Voters in Britain's general election last month punished the Liberal Democrats for that decision, reducing the party to just eight of the 650 seats in Parliament.聽Kennedy聽was among those who lost.

Blair praised聽Kennedy's聽"lively and inventive mind" and described his former opponent's death as an "absolute tragedy."

Blair's former communications chief, Alastair Campbell, said聽Kennedy聽"spoke fluent human, because he had humanity in every vein and every cell."

聛"I just wish that we, his friends, had been able to help him more, and that he was still with us today, adding a bit of light to an increasingly gloomy political landscape," Campbell wrote on his blog.

Kennedy聽is survived by his ex-wife, Sarah Gurling, and their 10-year-old son.