It has been the greatest privilege of my adult and public life to have served, for 32 years, as the Member of Parliament for our local Highlands and Islands communities.

I think you've got to like people. There are MPs who are either painfully shy or who don't like public speaking or don't socialise very well, and you just think this must be the worst job in the world for them.

We would all rather see Iraq resolved successfully.

There is no satisfaction to be derived from having had many of our arguments borne out by events.

I couldn't imagine a day without music. It relaxes and stimulates me in equal measure and I hate the sound of silence - the concept, I mean, not the track by Simon and Garfunkel.

The point never to lose sight of is to be guided by the correct thing, as you see it. It's the only way to approach such profound matters and retain your integrity.

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

I'm not someone who dwells upon past events, taking the view that life is too short.

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.

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

Further Education should be about the ability to learn, not the ability to pay - everyone who is able should have the opportunity, regardless of their family background. I don't want to see students struggling with huge debts or frightened off even going to university in the first place.

People are not stupid.

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.

Yes, you need substance in politics - but I think your style also says something about how you arrive at some of your conclusions.

Actually, I think it's quite sensible not to take yourself too seriously.

I'm a fully paid-up member of the human race.

I will go out of this world feet first with my Lib Dem membership card in my pocket.

To be seen to be human, provided you're doing your job at the same time, is definitely not a negative, not at all.

If you were to describe me as teetotal, on behalf of my constituency I'd have to sue; that would lose me every vote in the Highlands.

I should do something about the cigarettes; I quite accept that it's bad for your health, but you know a moderate tipple is positively beneficial and, at certain times, absolutely essential.

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

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

I want to see far more decisions taken far closer to the patients, the passengers and the pupils. Far more power for locally and regionally elected politicians who understand best the needs of their areas. And far more say too for the dedicated staff at all levels in health and education.

You won't catch Liberal Democrats describing trade unionists as wreckers.