The Army

I joined the Army aged 17 as an analyst in special intelligence. I served in Germany, GCHQ and on active service in Northern Ireland.

The time I spent in the Army has been a big influence on my life. I loved the camaraderie and the work that I did. However, my sense of justice and fair play meant that sometimes the Army and I didn’t always see eye to eye. On one occasion I was even threatened with a charge of mutiny!

I still keep an involvement in military matters. I am particularly concerned about the welfare of those who serve in our armed services and was one of the founders of the Liberal Democrats’ Friends of the Armed Forces group.

I am also a member of the Intelligence Corps Association (ICA). I was proud to take part in the service and march past to commemorate the end of Operation Banner, the Army’s deployment in Northern Ireland, at St Paul’s Cathedral in 2008.