Baby halts Lib Dem leader campaign
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| |  Kennedy with his wife Sarah and new born son on Tuesday. 
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Britain's Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has temporarily halted his campaigning in Britain's general election to celebrate the birth of a baby son.
Kennedy's wife Sarah gave birth to Donald James at St Thomas' Hospital, Westminster, London, at 12.14 a.m. Tuesday morning (2312 GMT).
The baby -- the couple's first child -- weighed 6lb 9oz, and a party spokeswoman said both mother and baby were doing fine.
Ironically a few hours later, Lib Dem deputy leader Sir Menzies Campbell -- standing in for his leader who had been due to launch the party's manifesto Tuesday -- outlined plans to scrap the Government's "baby bonds" to help pay for 21,000 extra teachers.
Campbell confirmed that a new 50 percent top rate of income tax on salaries over £100,000 ($188,000) would fund plans to scrap university student fees, provide free personal care for the elderly and abolish the council tax, replacing it with lower local taxes.
"We will not tax by stealth," Campbell told the UK's Press Association.
He insisted: "The sums add up and the books balance."
The couple, who married in July 2002, said in a statement to PA: "It is wonderful for us both and we are extremely grateful for the superb clinical and midwifery support which we have received.
"Everything went very smoothly and we are looking forward to returning home as a family in due course."
Lib Dem campaign chief Lord Razzall told PA: "We obviously are extremely happy that Charles Kennedy and his wife Sarah had their first baby today.
"We are all absolutely delighted and send our congratulations to Charles and to Sarah.
"Everybody will be aware Charles left the campaign yesterday afternoon to be with Sarah. He will be returning to the campaign shortly but in the meantime Sir Menzies Campbell has taken over."
