One of many good things which came out of last week’s events in Westminster was that Parliament showed that it was still relevant, still powerful and still able to reflect and respond to the public mood.

Our MPs demonstrated that, for all the attacks, belittling and criticisms of recent years, they are still able to hold the Executive to account and change the course of history.

I am sustained in the work I do through two core beliefs; that mass participatory democracy is by far the best way for a nation to administer its affairs and that, on balance, the Liberal Democrats (warts and all) have the best policies to bring about the type of country I want to live in.

I have known, campaigned alongside and been friends with politicians of all levels since my teenage years. They are fundamentally good people, who enter politics to do their best for the people they represent. It therefore saddens me when I see and hear people, who have seldom made any sacrifices of their own in the field of public service,  attacking our politicians as irrelevant.

Regardless of the rights or wrongs of Syria and the way the debate was handled, I hope that if one thing comes out of last week is an end to the silly mantra of “why bother voting, it doesn’t make a difference.” Last week’s events provided the best possible example of why MPs do matter, how they make a difference and how they are not “all the  same“.