On Tuesday afternoon BBC Radio4 PM broadcast a slightly surreal item which involved a visit by Robert Peston to the fishing museum in Brighton in order to interview the Professor of Punch & Judy, Glyn Edwards. A video version of the interview can be seen here. The interview certainly transforms the image of Peston who can often appear rather dour and his enthusiasm and laughter were infectious. It was also an interesting preparation for the following day when George Osborne announced the spending round 2015/6 in front of a packed House of Commons. There was no evidence of swazzling or any sausages in the Palace of Westminster but the ‘debate’ between George and Ed Balls had all of the constructive content of a Punch and Judy show and sadly none of the humour. We have elected a group of people whose preferred leaders are more committed to shouting at one another and berating the other side, than they are to improving life for the majority of people in this country.

On Friday as part of the IPM programme on Radio 4 when the messages from listeners from the week are broadcast, one of those chosen was from a listener who suggested that he felt the interview with Robert Peston was so wonderful, it was worth the licence fee on its own. I suspect a lot of taxpayers would be a great deal less inspired by what went on in the House of Commons the following day. Its not so much the fact that the two parties are bound to challenge one another, but the yaboo sucks way they do it. These are supposed to be our national leaders, not a bunch of puppets!