Sir, A few months before the last general election I went to see Charles Kennedy privately to discuss his reported drinking problem. He thanked me for my advice but made no admissions. He is therefore to be congratulated on the courage he has shown by admitting publicly that he is an alcoholic.

I urge members of our party to support him in every possible way when he engages in a full programme of recovery. Once a person enters into therapy with the admission of an addiction problem, recovery will last a lifetime.

LORD JACOBS
London NW1

Sir, If his fellow Liberal Democrats insist upon a leadership election, Charles Kennedy’s colleagues will show their true colours and help to guide the floating voters who will, as usual, determine the nature and strength of the next government.

Do they not understand that Charles Kennedy no more chose to have a “drink problem” than he chose to be Scottish, ginger or short? However, while the beholder may decide whether these latter attributes are assets or otherwise, alcoholism struggles to gain mainstream acceptance as an illness.

Accounts of George Best’s life suggested that he “went off the rails” or “gave it all away”. It’s not that simple. Why don’t smokers and gamblers just stop? Why don’t the obese just eat less and depressives “pull themselves together”? They can’t. But with help and understanding many addicts can improve their own lives.

Charles Kennedy has admitted his problem and been forced to do it very publicly. No wonder that his leadership abilities may have been affected over recent months.

It used to be the code, even of street brawlers, that you don’t hit a man while he’s down. Let’s see how the caring Liberal Democrats behave.

MALCOLM CLARK
Caterham, Surrey

Sir, Stone-cold sober or not,Charles Kennedy’s judgement in the past year or so on issues ranging from the Iraq war to domestic policies on taxation and public spending have been more sensible than those of Tony Blair and the various leaders of the Tory party.

ROBIN KEMPSTER
Brighouse, W Yorks

Sir, Is it really “brave” for Charles Kennedy suddenly to admit to having a “drink problem” about an hour before he heard that ITN was going to broadcast the proof?

COLIN STRICKLAND
Chartham, Kent

Sir, Alcoholics, like other addicts, are dishonest, manipulative and scheming. Are these not the exact qualities required to be a successful party leader these days? I would have had more respect for Kennedy if he had come clean some time ago and not been forced into the admission by the media. He should resign immediately and get himself sorted out before returning to frontline politics having earned the respect of his family, party and, more importantly, of himself.

PAUL CHESTERS
Wallasey, Wirral

Sir, For the sake of his party, Charles Kennedy must resign. A person with a recent history of alcohol abuse cannot reasonably ask the public to accept him as a potential prime minister.

BOB YULE
London E14

Sir, The October 2005 edition of the New Statesman reminded us that William Pitt the Younger “ended one magisterial drinking binge by jumping the barrier at a turnpike road . . . (drinking) one bottle of port each day. . .”. Charles James Fox delivered a “preternaturally hard . . . almost entirely schirrous” liver to the autopsy team. William Wilberforce and William Gladstone were both users of laudanum. Lord Roseberry partook of both sulphonal and cocaine, Anthony Eden used benzedrine, and Sir Winston Churchill reportedly said that he had always taken more out of alcohol than alcohol had taken out of him.

Old Blighty has survived them all.

DR B. DUNCAN
London SE1

Sir, Leading the Liberal Democrats as a reforming alcoholic should be no problem. After all, we have a reformed one running the world’s only superpower.

ADRIAN CARTWRIGHT
Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs

Sir, Perhaps now, with the introduction of 24-hour drinking, the time is right for an acknowledged alcoholic as party leader — I’ll drink to that.

ROBERT SANDALL
London SW12

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