THE MUSIC OF THE BALLOT BOXES

He's unlikely to be the next Prime Minister, but it's possible he could have a kingmaker role, if there's a hung parliament. But is there any Kingmaker in his record collection? Here's what Charles Kennedy chose when he was on Desert Island Discs:

1. 'The Cameron Highlanders'
Performer Ian Kennedy Composer Trad.

Well, there's one for the constituents...

2. 'Young Americans'
Performer David Bowie

3. 'Vissi d'arte' from Tosca
Performer Maria Callas with Paris Conservatoire Orchestra

4. 'Fly me to the Moon' (in other words)
Performer Frank Sinatra

5. 'Praise my Soul the King of Heaven'
Performer Choir of Christ's College, Cambridge

6. 'Waiting on a Friend'
Performer Rolling Stones

7. 'Nimrod' from Elgar's Enigma Variations
Performer Simon Rattle & the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

At this point, it's all going so well, you can almost hear Peter Snow gasping as his virtual Commons chamber fills up with little golden men. But then, Kennedy blows it:

8. 'Dancing in the Moonlight'
Performer Toploader

Arrrgh! Why, Charles, why?

The other curious question about Charles' picks is that he asks for his luxury to be a CD player - but you get a solar-powered CD player as a given on the island (since they realised a wind-up gramophone wasn't going to work any more). So why has he blown his luxury on getting something he's already got? Is it that he's just incredibly cautious, that he hadn't mastered the brief, or was too shy to ask for the large crate of bottles that we all know he'd really much prefer?

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