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….

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

There are hard choices to be made in balancing the country's security and an individual's liberties. But it is a choice that has to be faced.

Politicians are good at saying how Government must do more, but we must also think carefully about where Government should do less.

For any new leader of any party at any given time it takes time if you are not in government to establish yourself.

I don't want a headline saying 'Kennedy suggests this or implies that.'

I think that former leaders are best seen occasionally and not too often heard - particularly on the subject of their successors!