Charles Kennedy

Politics is much too serious to be taken too seriously; equally, there are many aspects of it so laughable as to be lamentable.

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

Courage is a peculiar kind of fear.

That is the definition of equal justice under law: everyone gets a fair shot, everyone pays their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.

When you first come into Parliament, it's a daunting place because you feel you've so much to learn. Once you've been re-elected, you feel much more confident. It just gives you a bit of a boost.

As co-chair of the Iraqi Women's Caucus in the House, I've enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with and hear from Iraqi women elected to serve in the new National Assembly.