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I've always considered myself to be fiercely patriotic. I love Britain - its history and the down-to-earth attitude people have.

I am very proud to be British. I'm very conscious of carrying my country with me wherever I go. I feel I need to represent it well.

I trust the integrity of the British government and the British soldiers.

I have moved on from being a British parliamentarian, I have moved on from being a New Labour politician, I have moved on from being the supporter in the active day-to-day sense of Tony Blair.

I'm not a political thinker, but I've just always thought of myself as a Labour supporter. I was a great fan of Tony Blair. He sent me a letter before I swam the Channel to wish me luck.

The patriotism in Britain comes from us being a leader. On jobs, on tax havens, on workers' rights, on the environment. We can be leading Europe... and it will be to the benefit of every British citizen.

The Americans love me because I'm so completely unwilling to change my whole Britishness.

I think people see me as someone very much associated with political agreement and, probably more than anything else, being able to build a relationship with loyalist leaders Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson.

I've committed myself to serve my constituents in South Shields and I have committed myself to British politics.

I was brought up in Britain, and I'm very proud of my Britishness and my culture.