I blame it on my children! I wouldn’t have watched Fame Academy if they hadn’t insisted. Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Alternatively – you can blame it on the weather. You can blame it on bad luck. Or you can blame it on politicians – unless you are a politician – in which case you can blame it on the media. If you are Ken, you can blame it on Gordon. If you are Tony you can blame it on Ken. If you are Cherie, you can blame it on naivety and, as this is my Christmas column, you can blame this on me – but I do like a bit of philosophical meandering at this time of year.

And my point is – we need to take responsibility for what we do and not try to avoid the blame if it’s due. Then at least we could all make real judgements based on fact.

Just think how refreshing it would be if Gordon Brown did a public broadcast to Londoners explaining that the Government were going to impose PPP (part-privatisation) because, although it wasn’t a good financial deal and it wouldn’t improve conditions in terms of overcrowding on the tube, his problem as Chancellor is that if it doesn’t go ahead, the whole of the Government’s funding of public projects strategy would be in tatters.

Imagine how good it would be if Tony Blair in his TV explanation over the Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone affair had said – ‘actually, you can’t always trust me – the Labour Party needed the £1million from Bernie Ecclestone and so I suppose it did influence my policy and I’m sorry. I made a mistake and even sorrier I now have to give the money back.’ And wouldn’t it be superb if Ken had admitted that he should have come out against the strikes in London, but because some of the funding and support for his Mayoral campaign came from the unions it made it very difficult for him to do so?

Even more seriously, in the New Year, Lord Laming will report his findings on the Victoria Climbie tragedy. To date, not a single politician has taken responsibility for what happened and resigned and I doubt that they will even when the report is published. But they should. For those who bear political responsibility there should be consequences. Virtually everyone who worked in the Social Services department has gone – both management and social workers – but not a single one of the politicians who were responsible for the department and the Council’s running of it.

It reminds me of Ambrose Bierce’s whimsical definition of responsibility – "a detachable burden easily shifted to the shoulders of God, Fate, Fortune, Luck or one’s neighbour. In the days of astrology it was customary to unload it on a star."

Well – the world cannot be put to rights when there are so many wrongs marching on. So as ever, my New Year’s Resolution will be to strive to be a better person (as well as taking more exercise , losing weight and being nicer to my children).

And in the spirit of taking responsibility – to my family I totally take the blame for the fact we have no turkey for Christmas and now won’t have one from my local butcher. It is entirely my fault, because when I rushed in there last Friday I found the deadline for ordering had passed three days earlier and I’m sorry!

And as for Fame Academy, I blame David for giving such a stunning performance on the night that he beat my favourite – Sinead. Happy Christmas and a peaceful 2003!