ABSTRACT

As the election campaign began, there was a larger question mark against Charles Kennedy’s likely performance than against either of the other party leaders. Charles had been leader of the Liberal Democrats for only 18 months. 1 During that period, with the triumphant exception of the Romsey by-election, there had been little opportunity to hit the headlines. Among the public, those who had a view about him were overwhelmingly positive – but far too many people had no view at all. 2 And he had not been blooded in a full-scale election campaign.