Paddy Ashdown talks to Queen's

Former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Lord Ashdown recently gave a fluent and thought-provoking talk to a wide spectrum of parents, pupils and interested members of the public in the Queen's Hall.

Lord Ashdown drew on his extensive diplomatic experience, garnered since he left the House of Commons, to explore what he described as the unprecedented challenges facing the international community, and the implications that this will present to those of us who are Europeans.

His talk broached topics as diverse as national security, international trade and international law, and was interspersed with personal anecdotes and snippets of his favourite poetry. Afterwards he fielded a wide range of questions including the thorny issue of whether the Liberal Democrats can survive the experience of government, and prospects for the future of Iran.