A rather belated but nevertheless heartfelt congratulations to Sir Malcolm Bruce!

Veteran Liberal Democrat Malcolm is being knighted for public and political services. The MP for Gordon is the party’s Scottish president and is involved with charities for deaf people.

Mr Bruce, whose daughter Caroline was born profoundly deaf, said: “I’d like to think the knighthood is not just for political longevity but for the work with charities.

“I got into that because of my daughter and hopefully it’s of benefit to them.

“I’ve been an MP here since 1983, so I do owe a lot of this to the constituents.”

Nick Clegg says of Malcolm: “I want to know what Malcolm’s diet is because he clearly eats or drinks something that keeps him forever young. He is one of the most energetic MPs in the House of Commons today much as he was when he entered the Commons 25 years ago. It is amazing to see him run circles around MPs half his age in his tireless dedication to his constituents. He really is an institution in his own right in his own constituency but also in Westminster, as a chairman of a very important select committee. He is widely respected across party boundaries. I wonder whether his constituents realise how lucky they are to have someone who is not just a good constituency MP but someone who is really respected in Westminster. Westminster is a rough and rowdy place. There are not that many MPs – and Malcolm can count himself amongst them – who are listened to respectfully by all parties.”