Because it became very clear on the night of June 23rd 2016 that shouting at the television just wasn’t having enough effect, and that I had to be the change I want to see or it would never happen.

It was relatively easy – I had a lot of the experience and qualities they were looking for in candidates before I applied.

I had to apply to be put forward for approval and then attend an approval day where I was tested on six competencies in several different exercises, interviews and written tests.

I didn’t enjoy the group exercise, which felt a bit like being on an episode of the apprentice! Learning all our policies took the most time.

I think the selection process in the Lib Dems is fair and appropriately challenging. It wasn’t a difficult process, but it did require careful thought and preparation as well as some work on knowing the party and what it represents.

I did it mainly on my own – I wasn’t aware at the time that the party’s Campaign for Gender Balance is enormously helpful to any woman in the party who wants to become a candidate! I have since discovered all the valuable help the CGB gives…

I really enjoyed knocking on doors as you never know who is going to answer. You see a very expensive car in the drive, you make certain assumptions and then the person behind the door blows them all away! It’s fascinating. I also love debating politics, so when I met someone argumentative who didn’t agree with me I always viewed that as a great opportunity to practice my debating skills! Winning people with entrenched views over is hard, but I really enjoyed talking to those who were wavering and sometimes getting the feeling that I had convinced them to vote for me.

Canvassing on my own a couple of times was quite hard going – I think it’s much better to have at least one other person with you so that when you get into a difficult conversation you can at least offload onto a friend afterwards! I don’t mind people having opposing views, but I do get frustrated with people who have entrenched views that they can’t defend – they just vote the way their newspaper tells them to without thinking it through for themselves. And I struggled with several women who said they had no idea but would vote the way their husband told them to. It’s hard to believe that is still happening!

I hope that next time I stand I’ll have a bit more notice – last year I was approved as a candidate and selected for a seat I knew little about less than six weeks before the election. There was no time to plan, we just had to dive straight in. So next time I would (hopefully be able to) do a lot more planning. I would find people who could help with tasks like making videos and answering emails. I was trying to do it all last year and I found there is only so long you can keep going on five hours sleep. If I could have Margaret Thatcher’s ability to survive on very little sleep that would help!

I would like to do my bit to help create a more equal, just society in the UK. I am driven by the raging inequality in this country and the benefit that comes with privilege. Somehow or other we have to change things so that everyone has the opportunity to make a success of their life, regardless of their accent, name or colour of their skin. And I would like to be a great role model for girls, of course!

I have never been a fan of All Women Shortlists but I have now been convinced of their use in changing the status quo. As women politicians we need to encourage girls and young women to get involved in the debate and see that they have a place there. The more women who stand, the more normal it will seem to the next generation and hopefully, in 10 or 20 years, we won’t even need to talk about AWS.