Postmortem examination finds former Liberal Democrat leader died of major haemorrhage and makes clear it was the result of drinking

Charles Kennedy, the former Liberal Democrat leader, died suddenly after suffering a major haemorrhage caused by his ongoing alcohol abuse, his family has disclosed.

In a short statement issued on Friday, the family said the postmortem examination had confirmed that the death of Kennedy, aged 55, at home in Caol, near Fort William, on Monday “was a consequence of his battle with alcoholism”.

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The statement, compiled with the help of Kennedy’s close friend and former Labour communications director Alastair Campbell, added: “We are grateful to the many friends and also medical experts who sought to help down the years but ultimately this was an illness Charles could not conquer despite all the efforts he and others made.”

Kennedy’s body was discovered by his partner, Carole MacDonald, the widow of one of his oldest and closest friends, Murdo MacDonald, late on Monday evening at his home. He left a 10-year-old son, Donald, his former wife, Sarah Gurling, a brother, Ian, who lived next door on the family croft, and sister, Isobel.

“Charles’s family would first like to thank the public and politicians who have been so warm in their tributes to him and so sincere in their concern for us,” the statement said. “We have been touched beyond measure by the outpouring of warmth for a man whose loss we will feel deeply forever.

“The pain we feel has been at least eased somewhat by the reaction of so many people across Scotland, the UK and beyond, and by the affection expressed by politicians across the spectrum. It has become all too apparent to us how much Charles meant to so many people and how many lives he touched.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest MPs in the House of Commons pay tribute to Kennedy.

The statement continued: “We have now been informed by the office of the procurator fiscal of the findings of the postmortem. Charles’s death was caused by a major haemorrhage and the report makes clear this was a consequence of his battle with alcoholism.”

The family said they were making final arrangements for Kennedy’s funeral, which is expected to be a private event, followed by public commemorations.

Kennedy’s death, three weeks after he lost the parliamentary seat of Ross, Skye and Lochaber he had held for 32 years to the Scottish National party, stunned the political establishment, uniting allies and opponents in their shock and distress.

Donald and his mother, who divorced Kennedy in 2010, attended a special session in the House of Commons on Wednesday where David Cameron led tributes to the former Lib Dem leader, who had been elected to parliament aged 23.

The prime minister said Kennedy was the “most human of politicians” and that at his best he was “the best that politics can be”. Nick Clegg, who recently stood down as Lib Dem leader after the party’s disastrous performance in the general election, said Kennedy’s “enduring humanity” made him the “polar opposite of a cardboard cut-out, point-scoring party politician”.

The family said on Friday: “The words and images of that day, and of so many other tributes, will be there for us to look back on with pride in Charles, and Donald will always know what a special father he had.”

They thanked the public authorities and emergency services for dealing with his death “with such courtesy, kindness and efficiency”.

Kennedy admitted publicly that he had been receiving treatment for an alcohol problem just months after leading the party to its greatest success in the 2005 general election. Despite declaring his hope then to continue at the head of the party, he was forced to stand down in the face of the threat of resignations by senior colleagues.

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The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Willie Rennie, said he hoped one legacy of Kennedy’s untimely death would be a better public understanding of the dangers of excessive drinking. “We knew he had a battle with alcoholism and it was one that he ultimately lost. I can only hope that people will have a greater understanding of alcoholism as an illness,” he said.

“That he was such an outstanding public figure whilst he was ill shows how remarkable he was. It is important to remember how Charles lived and not just how he died. The warmth of the appreciation for Charles’s life from far and wide has touched his family and friends.”

Campbell, who built a close friendship with his former political opponent around the “shared enemy” of alcohol, said he hoped confirmation that alcohol abuse led to Kennedy’s death would make politicians take it more seriously as an illness.

The pair had been due to meet on Friday to mark the retirement of Campbell’s brother as the piper at Glasgow University, where Kennedy previously served as rector.

“The response since Charles died has been remarkable and I think one of the reasons is that people realised that, amid his confidence and his evident political skills, there was a real humanity and vulnerability to him,” Campbell said.

“None of us are surprised that alcoholism played a part in his tragic death but what has been great about the tributes is that they have focused on so much more than this. I hope that remains the case as people continue to remember him as we move towards the funeral and then subsequent memorials.



“I also hope that politicians of all parties develop a better understanding of alcoholism, take it more seriously and devise policies to treat it as a disease on a par with the other major diseases.

“Today is a particularly poignant day because Charles was due to be joining me at a farewell party for my brother Donald, who is retiring from his role as official piper at Glasgow University where Charles was once rector. We will obviously be paying tribute to his memory and reflecting on the loss so many are feeling.”

After the family’s postmortem statement was released, Conn O’Neill, who ran Kennedy’s election campaign and became a close political adviser, said: “For just a year, I had the great honour of knowing Charles Kennedy. Through the most tumultuous times in Scottish politics, it was a pleasure to be by his side and to share in his insight.



“Today’s revelation that his death is related to alcohol in no way diminishes the great tragedy of his loss. Charles’s long suffering from a terrible illness should not be trivialised as a problem or ‘his demons’. The legacy of Charles Kennedy is far greater, let us continue to reflect upon the positive impact he has had on the lives of so many.”