Spent a long, lonely five hours on the front bench in Parliament leading for the Lib Dems during a Private Member’s Bill (that’s a bill brought in by an individual MP rather than by the Government) debate brought in by a Tory member. In brief, this is about the Tony Martin case and politicking. Tony Martin is the chap who got a life sentence for shooting at the two boys who robbed his farmhouse. One was killed – but the shot was in the back and Martin was done because it was deemed that he had not used ‘reasonable force’ as the boy was fleeing at the time. The Tory member’s bill wants the wording changed to ‘grossly disproportionate force’. This is as indefinable and open to interpretation as the ‘reasonable force’ and really the only sensible thing is to put our trust in the judge and jury who will be in charge of all of the facts and all of the circumstances. However, it takes five hours of debate to facilitate the Tory desire to be seen to be pro-rural farm owners and the party of law and order.

Apart from a couple of interventions I didn’t get to speak despite having prepared and being fourth in line to be called (I think). The Speaker called Andrew Dismore (Labour MP for Hendon) and he talked out the Bill. I had not witnessed this practise before – but I got a three and a half hour master-class in how its done. But it shouldn’t be done. It’s an appalling political game – and whilst the boys all clearly enjoy this sort of shenanigans – I am under-whelmed…

Later back in Haringey I meet Penny Nicholls who has come to brief me about the needs of homeless children. I had not realised that homeless youngsters under 16 do not have to be housed – but are basically returned to their parents regardless of context. They are campaigning for funding for refuges for such children on a national basis. I have already signed the EDM and will certainly support the cause. (I’ve covered what EDMs are all about in an earlier blog posting).

On the radio I hear that the Tube unions are threatening a Christmas strike. Ho! Ho! Ho! Why am I not surprised? The Tube unions have a great deal with TfL. Their conditions are fab compared to poor old bus drivers who contend with traffic and get paid far less. And yet – every Christmas they find new moans and groans and then apply the screws. I have lost all respect for Bob Crow over his leadership of the Tube unions. It’s blackmail. It’s an abuse of the right to strike which I have always defended. And whilst I don’t agree with the outsourcing of contracts (which is what the threatened strike is about) blackmailing Londoners is not the way to win my support!