Lynne Featherstone

Off to Leek in Staffordshire for Any Questions? yesterday. What a week to be on!

You have no notice of questions for these programs - but it ain't that hard to guess. I guessed right on Labour donors, Teddygate, Brown's decline, Oxford Union debate - but didn't see the question on the Diana trial.

Matthew Parris is always good value - witty and brief. Geoff Hoon (in unenviable position) defended the Labour government and Brown competently. In fact he turned the tables on Conservative MP Caroline Spelman very neatly by batting back the donor issue to asking her to defend the Midlands Industrial Council - it takes money from donors and then gives it to the Conservative Party - but by acting as a middleman, it means the donors are less open to public scrutiny than if they gave money direct to the Tories - sound familiar ?! Virtually pot and kettle.

And before any indulges in the usual nonesense about the Lib Dem donor Michael Brown - we are in the clear in terms of the Electoral Commission finding that we did all the necessary the checks correctly. And there's never been any suggestion of him getting any favours in return for having donated to us.

Anyway - good fun discussion all round and got home at 1am!