Charles Kennedy, former Liberal Democrat leader, dies aged 55

*I am so shocked to hear of the death of Charles Kennedy. RIP

Former Liberal Democrat Party leader Charles Kennedy has died at his home in Fort William aged 55.

His family said they were devastated to lose a "fine man and loving father".

David Cameron said politics had lost a man of "immense ability", while Nick Clegg said his opposition to the Iraq war had been "enormously courageous".

Mr Kennedy, who led his party from 1999 to 2006, lost his seat last month. No cause of death has been given but police said it was not suspicious.

Mr Kennedy led the party to its best-ever election result in 2005 on the back of his opposition to the Iraq War two years earlier but he resigned early in 2006 after revealing he had been receiving treatment for a long-standing alcohol problem.

'He left his mark on politics'

By Nick Robinson, BBC political editor

Charles Kennedy left a mark on British politics. The man who took his party to its electoral peak, he was the only UK party leader to warn the country of the perils of invading Iraq when Labour and the Conservatives were uniting to support it.

He was also the only Liberal Democrat MP who could not bring himself to vote to form a coalition with the Conservatives.

But British politics also left its mark on him. Elected at the age of just 23, politics and the House of Commons became his life whilst alcohol was his friend, his prop and his curse.