As ever – nearly four hours of surgery at Wood Green library. It never ceases to amaze me how much of a mess the benefits system is.

I rush out at the end to get to Alexandra Park School where I am addressing and taking questions from their school Parliament.

I am very keen on engaging young people in the political process – and so keen to not come over as too boring! There is a terrific turnout – and I whip through the ‘my day’ and ‘why we are the main opposition’ points that they have asked me to address in my speech and then take half an hour of questions.

I was much encouraged by their enthusiasm and intelligence. There is a clear ‘Stop the War’ influence in the hall – alongside a very knowledgeable body on the terror laws and ID cards. Several of the students and teachers come afterwards to ask questions that the debate runs out of time for – and I really enjoy staying and talking more directly. I think there are several would-be politicians in the making there!

Onward to a meeting with someone who doesn’t turn up – and then onward again to my last meeting with Chief Superintendent Bloomfield – the local police commander who is leaving next week to go to New Scotland Yard to head up the London-wide Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

I am very sad to see him go – as I think he has been a really successful and much respected local commander who has achieved real results, knows all the communities and is a very wise man! I also meet his successor who moves to us from Enfield – and who I am sure will continue the good work as he was previously on the borough and knows it well. I run through a raft of small issues brought to me by constituents from pavement cycling to ‘yobs hanging around’ to policing in Highgate.

We also discuss the recent police car accident which was fatal for a pedestrian, tragically, and is now the subject of a full investigation. We range over the use (ever increasing and successful) of volunteers in the borough and the 90 days terror suspect detention – now 28 days. I am sad to see him go – but wish him well!

Last call of the day is to Jacksons Lane Community Centre – who are celebrating their 30th anniversary. It is unimaginable now that Jacksons Lane didn’t always exist – but I am old enough to remember the early campaign and set up that created it – and all credit to those like Melian Mansfield, Chris Hindley, Nicky Gavron and others who made it happen. Tonight’s celebration is champagne, speeches and then watching a production called ‘Motions in Time’ by Daryl Beeton – an actor with a disability – and Jacksons Lane has led the way in its work making disabled actors a parity in the profession.

I meet the relatively new Director of Jacksons Lane and suggest that we set up a meeting for a more appropriate time to discuss how I can best support them in the coming times when they will undoubtedly need to raise funding to repair and renew the fabric of the old church. The production is great fun – very enjoyable – and then it is home.