Paddy Ashdown

Who is Paddy Ashdown?

Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG KBE PC, usually known as Paddy Ashdown, is a British politician and diplomat. He is the Chair of the Liberal Democrats 2015 General Election Team.

After service as a Royal Marine and as an intelligence officer for the UK security services, Lord Ashdown was a Member of Parliament for Yeovil from 1983 to 2001, and leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 until August 1999; later he was the international High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 27 May 2002 to 30 May 2006, following his vigorous lobbying for military action against Yugoslavia in the 1990s. A gifted polyglot, Ashdown is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and other languages. He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George in the New Year Honours 2006.