Nick Harvey celebrates 20 years in the Commons

An articles in the North Devon Journal notes that it is 20 years since Nick Harvey won back Jeremy Thorpe's old seat for the Liberal Democrats.

Nick talks about the way the constituency has changed over the years - and also the way his career has changed:

Since becoming a minister Mr Harvey said he still splits his time between London and North Devon in largely the same way but his time in London is, "spent vastly differently." 

"As a minister I'm able to make representations behind the scenes and meet other ministers as an equal," he said. 

"Although it's dispiriting having to make cuts it's what political tides and fortunes have called for and they have to be made." 

Mr Harvey also said working with the Tories has not been how he expected it to be. 

"I do find that if I stick up for North Devon over rural issues there's a greater understanding than I'd expect from the Labour party perhaps," he said. "And they are all good people to work with."

I first came across Nick when he was staying in the Liberator hotel at a Liberal Party Assembly in the 1980s. It would have seemed a little fanciful then to suggest that there was a future defence minister amongst us.