Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood sketches brilliant cartoon out of solidarity with French

Solidarity with Parisians has inspired Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood to dust off his storyboard and reignite his cartoon-writing past.

The Liberal Democrat has penned a cartoon strip as a mark of respect for the people killed in the terror attacks on the French capital.

The killings started at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in retaliation at its depictions of the Prophet Muhammad.

Politician Mr Horwood opted to create the cartoon strip instead of writing his weekly column for the Citizen’s sister title the Gloucestershire Echo today.

In the strip, Mr Horwood said: “This seemed the right week to pick up the pen again for the right to draw and write and think in freedom.”

He used to draw political cartoons while at university and tried to make a career out of it afterwards.

But the reality of trying to make a living bit and Mr Horwood had to seek other avenues to support himself.

“I always used to draw while I was at school,” he said.

“I probably spent more time at them than doing my homework.

“I did political cartoons when I became a student and got involved in politics.”

Mr Horwood, who was aware of the Charlie Hebdo magazine and its controversial nature, added: “ I didn’t always agree with the cartoons they published. Some of them were pretty offensive.

“The journalists there were unafraid to exploit freedom of speech and I think that’s admirable. Even if I didn’t always agree with them, I would defend to the death their right to publish.”