IT’S great to be back, after a necessary absence during which my employers – the electors of Blackburn – decided whether or not they wanted to re-employ me as their representative.

And I’m truly grateful that I was endorsed by such a margin.

This was the ninth election I’d fought, the eighth in Blackburn. But it was like no other.

What above all made the difference was those Leaders’ Debates.

The principle had been hard to argue with, but I’d had two private reservations about them.

One was of self-interest, that as the incumbent government we would be on the defensive all the time.

The second was of principle – that such a focus on the parties’ leaders would insinuate that our system was a Presidential one, rather than a Parliamentary one, and that the differing qualities of individual candidates, the needs of local areas, would become completely overshadowed in voters’ minds by what they thought of the parties’ leaders.

I may have been right about my first worry.

But democracy requires a change of government, and three full terms, 13 years, is a long period by any measure.

With or without the TV debates the campaign would focus on our record.

I was however wrong about my second worry. The net effect of the debates seems to have been the opposite of what I had feared.

Because of the ground rules for the debates – with the ‘anchors’ like David Dimbleby and Adam Bolton reduced to a role of referee – viewers could witness serious, and civilised debate about the policy choices before the electorate.

This led to much greater interest in the election than I have seen certainly for two decades, especially among young people, which was great.

It also led to something I had not anticipated.

Voters did not make their judgements simply on what they felt about the leaders, but instead decided to examine the policies, and the personalities and records, of their candidates in their areas in more depth than I’ve ever seen before.

This phenomenon was striking, on the doorstep in Blackburn, and in countless soap-box sessions I did around the country.

The final outcome in no sense reflected those opinion polls taken after each Leaders’ Debate.

The Liberal Democrats saw no change in their share of the vote, and lost seats; we for sure lost share and seats, but are in a better position than I had feared; and the Conservatives, whom I had thought were a racing certainty to win overall, are 20 short of an overall majority.

Once the results were through I was clear that whilst it was necessary to examine the alternatives the only honourable course for my party to take was to go into opposition.

The Conservatives, who won share and seats, had to have the first call on government.

Now they are in coalition with the Liberal Democrats. It will be fascinating to see how it works out.

Meanwhile I’ll get on with my job of representing the people of Blackburn, whom I cannot thank enough.