CHARD's former MPs David Laws and Paddy Ashdown have paid tribute to ex-Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy who has died at the age of 55.

Mr Kennedy died suddenly a week ago after suffering a major haemorrhage as a result of a long battle with alcoholism.

Mr Kennedy had been a Lib Dem MP from 1983 until last month’s General Election when, along with many other MPs from his party including Yeovil’s David Laws, he lost his seat. Mr Kennedy had served as LibDem leader from 1999 until 2006 and it coincided with Mr Laws winning the first two of his three General Election victories for the Yeovil constituency in 2001 and 2005.

Mr Laws said: “I am very sad indeed to hear the news of the death of Charles Kennedy.

“Charles was Lib Dem leader when I was first elected as MP and he was always very kind, generous and supportive of me. Charles will be remembered politically for leading the opposition to the Iraq War, and for his strong commitment to Britain’s place in the European Union.”

Mr Laws added: “I will particularly remember Charles for his wit, for his mischievous smile when sharing some private or public joke, and for his decent and principled approach to public life.”

Lord Ashdown, who had been the Lib Dem leader before Mr Kennedy, described it as “tragic and shocking” news.

Freelance journalist Steve Sowden, a former chief reporter of the Chard and Ilminster News, interviewed Mr Kennedy on a visit to the Yeovil constituency in the early 2000s to support new MP David Laws.

“I found Mr Kennedy a very likeable and approachable chap….but it wasn’t until the interview had finished and I was walking back to my office that I realised I’d been calling him Nigel throughout - as in Nigel Kennedy, the acclaimed violinist,” said Steve.

“I suddenly realised that Mr Kennedy hadn’t been smiling during our meeting because of him liking my questioning, but he was actually chuckling away to himself inside at my obvious faux pas.

“It was no such surprise to me to find that Mr Kennedy later became a regular pundit on TV shows Have I Got News for You and that he became nicknamed Chat Show Charlie because of his personality.”

The funeral is to be held on Friday when a Mass will be celebrated at noon at St John’s Roman Catholic Church in Caol, near his Fort William home.