WE do not know yet whether Charles Kennedy’s alcoholism played much of a part in his sudden and tragic death announced yesterday.

But it was no secret that the former Liberal Democrat party leader and MP was battling that demon for some time.

Today we carry a comment from the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Khalid Aziz, who speaks sensibly of this not-so hidden demon that stalks our society.

The TV personality and business leader labels alcoholism a ‘cancer’ in modern life. In this he speaks the truth.

He also questions why so many of Mr Kennedy’s friends and associates danced around the subject when playing fulsome praise to their lost colleague. The answer to that lies no doubt in a wish to resepct the politician’s memory in the short term and concentrate on this loss and the triumphs of his career.

Yet the subject of his alcoholism will now be poured over by the media, hopefully in a sensitive and productive way that enables the topic to be brought from the shadows into the light of reasoned public debate.

Mr Kennedy’s death at 55 is a tragedy. But once the very necessary tributes have been paid to his achievements it will be essential his ‘demons’ are also explored if we are to make any sense of this sad loss.