In 1906, Winston Churchill ran for a seat to parliament representing the city of Manchester.
It had been two years since Winston had defected from the conservative Tories and took up the banner of the liberals.
While campaigning, "a heckler presented him with a pamphlet quoting his past scorn for his present party [the Liberals]."*
"Winston tore it into pieces and declared:" I said a lot of stupid things when I worked with the Conservative Party, and I left it because I did not want to go on saying stupid things."*
Of course Winston was to win this seat and go on to be the great statesman and two time Prime Minister of Great Britain.
PS: Winston stayed in the Liberal camp for 20 years, however when the Conservatives publicly abandoned the party's pledge to introduce Protective Tariffs, Winston felt the last obstacle to him rejoining the Conservative party had been lifted and won election as a conservative representative from West Essex. He held that seat for the next forty years.
Along with Lloyd George he was responsible for many social reforms and was instrumental in the creation of the so-called welfare state.
*Best Little Stories from the Life and Times of Winston Churchill-
C. Brian Kelly