All those blisters were worth it.!

Most of my none Lib Dem friends can't understand why I'm willing to give up chunks of my spare time and leave allowance to putting focus leaflets through people's letter boxes. Why waste my time (and increasingly money) supporting a party that has no hope of wielding power, especially when my job prevents me from doing a lot of the more interesting stuff like going to conference or standing for election.

Well partially for days like today, and the news that Jamil el-Banna is coming home from Guantanamo. There is no doubt that without the tireless campaigning of his local MP Sarah Teather to force the British Government to accept Jamil back into the country that the el-Banna children would have been separated from their father for many more years.

Would have a Labour MP have campaigned so tirelessly against their own Government? With a few honourable exceptions I sincerely doubt it. It makes all those hours trawling around the South Kilburn Estate feel worth it.