It is the eve of poll in our local council by-election and tomorrow Muswell Hill will let us LibDems know what they think of us!

So, not the timing of choice, but I have a social fundraiser at my house for around 60 people and the guest of honour is Sir Menzies Campbell (or Ming as he is known). What a fabulous man he is. Whenever he appears on TV to comment on foreign affairs and in recent months, he makes me really proud that we are in the same party.

He commands respect across all parties. In his speech he, not unnaturally, makes reference to the LibDem decision not to join Blair’s new enquiry behind closed doors into the intelligence that led to the Iraq war – the Butler inquiry.

Lord Butler aka Sir Robin Butler, Cabinet Secretary during the Thatcher/Major times was sent to Australia in the late 80’s to testify at the Peter Wright (Spy Catcher) trial. Unfortunately, the Oz defence lawyer had a brain and was good with words. Butler was made to look a complete idiot.

Anyway – Ming did allude to the fact that Michael Howard has now seen the light and withdrawn the Tories from the enquiry. Better late than never. But he could have and should have never joined the inquiry at all. It was clearly going to not reveal anything that the government did not want revealed – but I think was mooted to get Blair out of trouble by being seen to be actively trying to get to the bottom of it. Hogwash!

So – the evening was a roaring success – food and alcohol consumed and money raised.