Natural, boyish and famously ginger, the 'Welsh Windbag' was doomed to lose two elections. But, even in exile, the father of New Labour is still a powerful figure in British politics.

Charles Kennedy takes his politics seriously, if not himself. Disguised by his genial manner, he has emerged as the most realistic politician to have led the Liberal Democrats, if we accept politics as the art of the possible. Doubters in his party point out that he also takes this pragmatism to extremes, even to the point of seeming bland.