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.

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.

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.