Nick Harvey is an independently-minded Liberal Democrat who took Devon North from the Tories by a small margin, at his second try. With a background in public relations, he put his skills to work as director of campaigning for the party with spectacular success in the 1997 election. A Eurosceptic in a pro-European party, he was opposed to a single currency and Euro-federalism, and even signed an anti-Maastricht motion with Eurosceptic Tories. But recently he had a change of heart, writing an article entitled: "Why I'm now in favour of a single currency", and says that if the Euro works, "the UK will have to join". He pulled out of summer 1999's Lib Dem leadership contest early, although it was said Paddy Ashdown looked on him with favour. He did not speak often in parliament, mainly because his chief role was at party HQ, but his move by Charles Kennedy to health spokesman has given him greater prominence. He is a supporter of Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Amnesty International.