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I've now arrived in Liverpool for the Liberal Democrat conference, where we will no doubt be reminded this week of the value of persistence in politics.

Indeed, if an award was to be made for sheer refusal to give up then it would surely go to David Shutt.

Shutt first stood for Parliament 40 years ago - in Sowerby in 1970. Indeed, during the 70s he fought the seat four times altogether, losing every election. When part of Sowerby became Calder Valley, he then fought that seat twice as well, in 1983 and 1987.

In 1992 Shutt finally got the message that the voters of Sowerby/Calder Valley didn't want him as their MP. But he didn't give up, and fought Pudsey instead. Pudsey fought back.

So seven attempts and seven failures.

But persistence pays. This May, the by now Lord Shutt was rewarded for a lifetime of effort to the Liberal cause when he was made Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard, and deputy government chief whip in the Lords.