Congratulations to Dan Byles, one of our competitors in Polar Race 2007, who has just been elected Conservative MP for North Warwickshire and Bedworth.

He was helped in his campaigning by the enthusiasm and determination of his Mum, Jan Meek, who in 2007 became the oldest woman to walk to a pole.

As I said in a text to Dan:

• Good looking
• Successful Polar adventurer
• Successful Atlantic oarsman

Obviously got the female vote!

Sadly this now rules him out of consideration for the "Row to the Pole" crew, for which he would otherwise have been a prime candidate. He will be otherwise very occupied!