“While loyalists and defectors overall said John Smith did a better job...” — Michael Ashcroft Quote

“While loyalists and defectors overall said John Smith did a better job of standing up for Labour's values, they put Blair ahead on representing the whole country, appealing beyond traditional Labour voters and offering strong, competent leadership; switchers to the Tories gave him a clear lead in all categories.”

“In the 1990s, the Lib Dems won a string of byelections at the expense of struggling Conservative governments. Christchurch, Ribble Valley and Eastbourne went straight back to the Tories at the next general election, but the Lib Dems held their later byelection gains - Eastleigh, Newbury and Romsey - in at least two subsequent general elections.”

“All of us, we are not one thing: we're always between two worlds, and the idea of not being sure is very appealing to me.”

“There are a lot of very flamboyant and outlandish people and attention-seekers in L.A., and I think that's what makes L.A. appealing. A lot of people are attracted to come here to do things and make things happen and the city seems to attract larger-than-life characters.”

“I find that very appealing: the blurring of the lines between what's funny and what's tragic. And what's ordinary and what's not - the big things in the small things.”