High Peak Liberal Democrats

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Lorely Burt: "We're so good at making things"

The Solihull MP's Her first job after university was at the Pucklechurch Remand Centre near Bristol, where she spent a year as a prison officer before becoming an assistant governor. "It knocked all the soft edges off me," she says. Now she enjoys lobbying the Government on behalf of manufacturing and retail businesses, helping others get a foot up the ladder.

Life of Brian: Interview with new Lib Dem peer

Brian Paddick, or Baron Paddick of Brixton in the London Borough of Lambeth, if you prefer - is in the House of Lords mulling over whether he is now undoubtedly a politician. "A friend of mine who, unfortunately, died recently, when he heard that I was running as a candidate for Mayor of London the first time, in 2008, phoned me up and said, 'Does this mean I can't believe a word you say anymore?'," he smiles.

Review - Shirley Williams: The Biography

This new biography of Shirley Williams offers an insight into one of Britain's most recognised and well-loved politicians by drawing on a range of interviews with colleagues and friends. Personal letters between her parents, Vera Brittain and George Catlin, and Williams herself offer a compelling insight into her home life and emerging political career, their tone being, on occasions, intently personal and candid.