It is true that I entered parliament at the age of 23, and have now been representing the people of my constituency for over twenty years.

To run an effective political party you need a degree of tribalism, it's the glue that holds everyone together.

Courage is a peculiar kind of fear.

The quicker we get rid of the lobby system the better for all of us. I don't think in this day and age it is tenable to have these nods and winks, and on-the-record and off-the-record briefings.

Immigrants provide skills that we simply cannot afford to do without. They have contributed hugely to Britain's success.

Three simple words - freedom, justice and honesty. These sum up what the Liberal Democrats stand for.

Paddy Ashdown is the only party leader who's a trained killer. Although, to be fair, Mrs Thatcher was self taught.

We should have high expectations of our children, but politicians should not tell teachers how to meet them.

My favourite novel is Frederick Forsythe's Day Of The Jackal, the story about the unproven case of this apparent Englishman who was hired to assassinate De Gaulle….

Music and politics are in essence about communication. Without over-stretching the analogy I do feel a sense of rhythm is important in getting your message across.

The one thing we can all be sure about in politics is you are as well to expect the unexpected.

Glamour comes from within. My beauty regime begins with my personality.

Democracy forever teases us with the contrast between its ideals and its realities, between its heroic possibilities and its sorry achievements.

Luckily, it's one of my favorite movies [ Night Of The Living Dead]. I never get tired of watching it.

Do unto others what you want done unto you.

The wandering one, the inquisitive dreamer of dreams, the eternal asker of answers, stands in the street, and lifts his palms for the first cold ghost of rain.

If you get offended by words - by noises we make with our mouths - it means you were raised by bad parents.

An enlightened person is not in touch with all the ten thousand states of mind simultaneously always. It would be very hard to go shopping let alone drive the car.

I've always thought that the role of citizen, the role of advocate, were as important in our democracy as running for office.

They worry one another like mastiffs, scrambling for rank and pay like apes for nuts.

If you have the capacity to be more than one thing , do everything that's inside of you.