PM Leads Tributes To Kennedy In Commons

Charles Kennedy's ex-wife and son watched on as the Prime Minister led tributes to the former Liberal Democrat leader in the House of Commons.

After the first PMQs since the General Election, David Cameron praised Mr Kennedy, who died on Monday aged 55 .

"Charles Kennedy will be remembered for his success, for his principle and intellect, and above all for his incredible warmth and good humour," he said.

"He had a way of connecting with people, even those who didn't know him well or even at all.

"He was the most human of politicians.

"In the words of Charles Kennedy himself, the vast majority of people think there is a hell of a lot more to life than just politics and you have got to bear that in mind because you are actually trying to represent them.

"At his best, he was the best that politics can be and that is how we should remember him."

Mr Kennedy's ex-wife, Sarah, and their 10-year-old son Donald looked on from one of the side galleries.

Outgoing Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg described his predecessor as a "formidable parliamentarian".

But he said Mr Kennedy had been much more than his politics.

"Though he was wedded to politics all his life, I think Charles would have wanted to be remembered as a kind and loving father, brother and son first; and an accomplished politician second," he said.

Acting Labour leader Harriet Harman described Mr Kennedy as "the golden boy from the Highlands".

"History will show that he was one of a great generation of Scottish MPs at a time when Scotland gave this House some of the finest politicians of the era," she said.

"I remember when he first came to this House, aged only 23 - the golden boy from the Highlands, he shone in this chamber.

"He was elected so young and it's a tragedy that he has died so young."

Before the tributes were paid, Mr Cameron answered difficult questions from his own backbenchers.

Former chief whip Andrew Mitchell said there was "considerable concern" that Britain might withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights - and asking for reassurance this would not happen.

Mr Cameron responded: "We are clear that we want British judges making decisions in British courts.

"The plans set out in our manifesto do not involve us leaving the European Convention on Human Rights - but let's be absolutely clear, if we cannot achieve what we need, when he have foreign criminals committing offence after offence and we cannot send them home because of their right to a family life, that needs to change.

"I rule out absolutely nothing in getting that done."

Ms Harman asked Mr Cameron whether child benefits or working families' tax credits would be cut as part of Conservative plans to cut £12bn from the welfare budget.

The Prime Minister replied: "Isn't it interesting that in the whole of the last parliament, Labour came here and opposed every single spending reduction, every single welfare saving, and they've learned absolutely nothing.

"They are still the party of more spending, more welfare, more debt."

In a jibe aimed at Ed Miliband and Ed Balls, he added: "It's extraordinary. The two people responsible for this great policy of theirs - one of them lost the election, the other one lost his seat.

"The messenger's gone but the message is still the same."

Meanwhile, the SNP's Angus Robertson, whose party's ranks have swelled considerably after the General Election, claimed the UK "has an appalling record on the resettlement of Syrian refugees" - and asked why the Government is not prepared to co-operate with other European nations on accepting refugees rescued from the Mediterranean.

He asked: "Why does the Prime Minister think it is fair for Sweden, Germany and other countries to accept these refugees, while the Government turns its back on them?"

The Prime Minister said the UK had a record of giving people asylum "to be proud of", but said the vast majority of people trying to cross the Mediterranean were not asylum seekers.

He said the Government's focus should be on stopping the criminal gangs enabling them to begin journeys from Libya.

In a light-hearted moment during PMQs, Mr Cameron said that a new Labour MP's question about when the UK will regain its triple-A credit rating was "a sign of progress".

He told Cat Smith: "There is a leadership election on. I would put your hat in the ring! She has made more sense than all of the rest put together!"