I can hardly think of an occasion when I've got into a stand-up fight with any political opponent. I've got my views, people know what they are, they can agree or they can choose to disagree. I'm not going to waste time just rubbishing everybody else.

I do think there is a great deal of caricature around the House of Commons. It is just that kind of place.

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.

My approach is always to try to be straight with people, especially about what my party can achieve.

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

I am genuinely not an over-the-top kind of person about politics or anything else.

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