I have spent today at the Tollpuddle Martyrs Rally and despite that, I find myself in the very unusual position of feeling compelled to spring to the defence to a member of the Conservative Party? It must be the heat?

Of course there were and are sound economic reasons for all governments to find a peaceful settlement in Northern Ireland.

I do feel however that Mr Major is basically a decent human being, though why he joined the Tories and they accepted him is still a bit of a mystery? With such friends as he had in that Party, he did not need enemies.

Unlike Mrs Thatcher, who repeatedly told the rest of the world how they should sort out their problems, he could see the folly of doing that whilst ignoring the mess on his own doorstep.