I feel a certain sympathy for thinking woman’s anagram Lembit Opik after the oddball Lib Dem MP for Montgomeryshire was ousted from his so-called ‘safe seat’ by Conservative Glyn Davies, writes Emma Suddaby.

During the messiest election in living memory, one of the clearest decisions was made by the good folk of Montgomeryshire in booting out Mr Opik, with voters swinging by 13.2 per cent to the Conservatives.

Mr Opik, apparently, was left shocked by the results. After working as MP in the area for the last 13 years he appears to have taken his re-election for granted with the same attitude that seemingly got him into hot water with his constituents in the first place.

And yet, many Powys people regard him with affection. They are eager, when asked, to relate all the good things he’s done for the area and the long working hours he put in trying to improve services here.

What a shame he kept so quiet about it all!

We never heard much about the meetings he attended, the policies he put forward or the people he helped, but, boy, did we get to hear all about his love-life.

Now I know we live in a modern world with equal opportunities for all and that it shouldn’t matter what a politician does in his spare time, or whom he chooses to spend that spare time with … but it does.

And when a politician chooses to court the media by appearing on game shows and indulging in highly publicised relationships, it makes us wonder, rightly or wrongly, about his judgement in other matters too.

With startling lack of self-awareness, Mr Opik said of his defeat: “Perhaps it was my brand of politics which people weren’t too keen on. Perhaps it was a big surge to the Conservatives.”

Or perhaps, Lembit, had we heard more about your brand of politics, rather than the intricate detail of your love/leisure life, it could have ended differently for you.

It’s encouraging to note that voters aren’t so daft after all. We might be entertained by colourful antics and revealing interviews for a little while but when it comes down to the serious business at hand we want fewer words and more action.

Here’s hoping our new Prime Minister remembers that.