The UK Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has called a leadership contest for his party after acknowledging he has been fighting a drinking problem for the last 18 months.
In a statement, the 46-year-old said he had sought professional help for his alcohol problem and he believed the issue was essentially resolved.
Criticism of Mr Kennedy has intensified in the last few weeks with some party members openly questioning his ability to lead the Liberal Democrats in the run-up to May's local elections.
