Paddy Ashdown
| Constituency | Yeovil |
| Party | Liberal Democrats |
| Position | Former Leader |
| Year of First Entry into Parliament | 1983 |
From the ashes of the SDP rose the Liberal Democrats, and up rose Paddy Ashdown with it. Ex-SAS man (and proud of it), it seems as though he has always been there, speaking up for the minority party of British politics.
And he deserves some respect. Seemingly without any sleaze, he has brought the LibDems to be a potent force, especially in Scotland where they are now the official Opposition.
It's a pity he has now stepped down, after the European Elections in June. Let's hope the new leader, Charles Kennedy, can show as much gravitas.