There is no doubt there is an Iraq effect and the Liberal Democrats are rising on that.

People have accused me of being in favor of globalization. This is equivalent to accusing me of being in favor of the sun rising in the morning.

Let no-one be in any doubt - the Liberal Democrats are not about to cede our emphatic, sincere and long-standing green credentials for some spray on aerosol version.

Obviously this is the world descending into worse and worse standards of targeting civilians both in state violence in Iraq, Gaza and so on and the terrorist retaliation.

The fact is that we wouldn't be in Iraq if it weren't for Democrats like Senator Kerry.

If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people-their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties-someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal", then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal.