Big Society? It's all a blur

Well, this is getting silly. Last night's Voices of Freedom debate attracted almost 80 people, with some having to stand or sit in doorways and on the floor. Every exit was blocked - talk about health and safety!! We were getting a bit hot under the collar when someone opened a window and we could all breathe a little easier.

Chaired by Claire Fox (Institute of Ideas) with her usual energy and charm, the meeting asked the question "Is a Big Society a free society?". After 75+ minutes listening to our speakers I have to admit that I was none the wiser.

I did however like the quote that Simon Hills attributed to Arthur Ransome (whose books I loved as a child) who said something along the lines of, "The best governments are those under which the people don't feel they're being governed".

Click HERE to see how one member of the audience followed the event on Twitter.

And here's my take on the evening, posted on Facebook:

Update on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 by Simon Clark

Dr Eamonn Butler (Adam Smith Institute), one of last night's speakers, has sent me his notes. He writes:

I’m not sure what Big Society means either, but it’s better than Big Government. David Cameron’s original idea was to devolve power to neighbourhoods, boost social activism and social responsibility, get government to promote social action and help social entrepreneurs. Practical measures included a Big Society Bank, to finance local groups and a Neighbourhood Army or organisers.

I don’t subscribe to Margaret Thatcher’s dictum that ‘there is no such thing as society’. We are inherently social creatures. Half the world lives in cities. Even the free market rests on complex social interaction, with social rules of ethics and trust. As Edmund Burke put it, our attachment to social groups is the glue that keeps a country together.

Government should cut with the grain of this social dimension. Over 600,000 of us are employed in more than 60,000 charitable and voluntary groups, turning over £28 billion a year. Such groups can deliver many public services – getting people off welfare and into work, for example – better than state organisations. We need to cut the bureaucracy, like CRB checks, that discourage volunteering. Restore the National Lottery to its original purpose. And let local people start up new schools and take over the running of parks and libraries.

We don’t, of course, need government leading us by the nose with its Big Society Bank or Neighbourhood Army of people to organize us. That just nationalizes and distorts genuine community action. There is a role for government in creating the Big Society – but that role amounts to standing out of the light and letting it grow in its own way.

MP wants smoking ban lifted

Another Conservative MP has called for amendments to the smoking ban. Brian Binley, MP for Northampton South, said he would use his new position as vice-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group to lobby the Government to allow pubs to have separate rooms for smokers. Binley (who voted for the ban) told his local newspaper:

"I think if pubs can prove they've got proper extraction fans or a room set aside for smokers, they should be allowed to operate in that way, not shove people outside in all weathers into these shanties and so-called smoking shelters.

"It's just crazy that people are being forced to stand outside and people who live near pubs are left complaining about the noise generated by them.

"So I'll be calling on the Government to ensure that if pubs have proper extraction systems or special smoking rooms, smoking should be allowed in those rooms.

Full story HERE.

JTI supports Save Our Pubs and Clubs campaign

Raise a strawberry to Adam Smith

Damn. I've had to turn down an invitation to celebrate Adam Smith's 287th birthday. Guests who drop into the Adam Smith Institute in Westminster this afternoon are promised "Scottish strawberries, his favourite food, and a cup of tea or a glass of wine".

When I was growing up across the river from Dundee Scottish strawberries were among my favourite food too. I enjoyed them all the more, I'm sure, because they were only available for a few weeks each year. The only thing I didn't like was having to "pick your own", which my mother, in particular, was rather keen on.

Later my school friends and I were paid to pick strawberries at the local farms. As I recall, there were two problems. One, it was back-breaking work because we spent most of our time on our hands and knees. Two, we didn't earn much money because we ate more strawberries than we picked.

The wine on offer this afternoon won't be Scottish, of course, but ASI director Eamonn Butler reports that, "In the words of the sage himself, very good grapes can be raised in Scotland, and very good wine too can be made of them at about 30 times the expense for which at least equally good can be brought from foreign countries".

I'm sorry I won't be there.

PS. That reminds me. Remember THIS?

Voice of freedom: Shane Greer

Shane Greer, author, Why Vote Conservative:

'Big society' is a classic example of sound ideology falling victim to poor presentation. The problem is that it was never clear what big society meant. Certainly we can point to some underlying principles, which I support, but it remains an intangible concept.

The Conservatives were far too indirect about their vision for a society in which power is devolved from the state back to the citizens. If those of us who support a more classically liberal society are to win the public's support, we need to think more carefully about how we make our arguments.

Shane is speaking at the third of five Voices of Freedom debates organised by The Free Society in London.

"Is a Big Society a Free Society?" is at the IEA, 2 Lord North Street, Westminster, from 6.00pm tomorrow night. See previous post.

Is a Big Society a free society?

Join The Free Society on Tuesday 15 June for drinks and debate at the Institute of Economic Affairs, 2 Lord North Street, Westminster, London SW1. Enjoy pre-event drinks at the IEA courtesy Boisdale of Belgravia (from 6pm) then engage in rigorous discussion with leading writers, journalists and campaigners (7pm - 8pm).

The third of five debates is entitled Is a Big Society a Free Society?.

The discussion, presented by The Free Society and the Adam Smith Institute, will be chaired by Claire Fox, director of the Institute of Ideas.

Speakers:

Heather Brooke (freedom of information campaigner)
Dr Eamonn Butler (director, Adam Smith Institute)
Dr Tim Evans (president, Libertarian Alliance)
Shane Greer (author, Why Vote Conservative?)
Simon Hills (associate editor, The Times Magazine)
Martin Kettle (associate editor, the Guardian)

There will be further debates on June 24 and 29 and a "Smoke on the Water" riverboat party on Wednesday July 14.

For more information click HERE.

The first two debates in the series have been fully subscribed. To register for the remaining debates email events@thefreesociety.org

Update on Monday, June 14, 2010 by Simon Clark

Political blogger Iain Dale, who was chairing the event, tweets from the Voices of Freedom debate on 10 June.

Mark Littlewood, director general of the IEA, comments on Facebook following the first debate on 3 June.

Iceland here we come

Better late than never I have just booked my summer holiday and yes, we're going on another cruise, this time to Iceland where we will visit Reykjavik (above) and Akureyri.

Perhaps now I might actually see some of that elusive volcanic ash.

After Iceland the ship will sail to Norway - Aalesund, Hellesylt and Geiranger. No, I've never heard of them either, but visiting the Norwegian fjords is something I've always wanted to do.

The children, needless to say, are thrilled. Not.

What is it with teenagers? When I was a child I was grateful to go anywhere, including the Shetland Isles which we reached via overnight ferry - while high on seasickness pills - from Aberdeen. Today they want sun, sea and superfast broadband - guaranteed.

Sorry, no can do. Iceland here we come!

Who'd be an MP - or a father?

When my local MP Jonathan Djanogly woke up this morning I don't suppose he expected to find a group of protestors outside his house.

Well, he may have to get used to it because as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice in the new Coalition Government he is an obvious target for those with a grievance.

As it happens Djanogly's constituency home is just around the corner from mine. I have to walk past it to buy the newspapers in the village shop across the road, hence the photo above.

They're from New Fathers for Justice, not to be confused with Fathers for Justice or Real Fathers for Justice (or the People's Front of Judea or indeed the Judean People's Front).

As an aside, the few protestors present seemed perfectly likeable, if eccentric. There were three policeman (and a camera crew) on the other side of the road but nothing to alarm the horses. It was all very, well, British.

As I walked away I heard one protestor say to another: "There's nothing more we can do here."

What, no scaling the walls or climbing on to the (thatched) roof of Djanogly's castle?

Unlikely to be on the evening news, I fear.

World Cup memories

The older I get the less I am excited by the World Cup. Don't get me wrong. I'll watch most of the matches and when England play the USA tomorrow I'll be as nervous as anyone who has witnessed our World Cup woes. But countless disappointments - and all the hype - have taken their toll. Anyway, here are my World Cup memories, dating back to when I was seven:

1966 (host nation, England): To be honest, I don't remember watching a single match, including the final. What I do remember is standing at the top of the stairs of our small semi-detached house in Maidenhead (long after I was supposed to be in bed) and hearing the roar of the crowd from our little black and white television in the room below.

I also remember my father turning off the television in exasperation when West Germany equalised in the last minute of normal time in the final. I was sitting on the floor and didn't appreciate the enormity of what had happened. Thirty minutes later he switched the set back on. Someone was on the pitch and moments later it was all over. England had won the World Cup.

1970 (Mexico): In 1969 we moved to Scotland, which was a huge adventure for a ten-year-old. The down side was that there was even less live football on TV in Scotland than in England. In fact, prior to the 1970 World Cup I had seen precisely five games live on television: the 1968 European Cup final between Man United and Benfica, the 1968 and 1969 FA Cup finals, and the England-Scotland matches of 1969 and 1970, so I could hardly wait for the World Cup to begin.

Breakfast TV was a long way off so it was great to be able to watch the highlights from the night before at seven o'clock in the morning, before I went to school.

The football itself exceeded all expectations. Who could forget Gordon Banks' wonder save from Pele's header, or Jeff Astle missing a sitter as England lost 1-0 to Brazil? Remember Pele's audacious chip from the halfway line against Czechoslavakia which cleared the keeper and narrowly missed the goal? Or what about the same player's breathtaking dummy that completely bamboozled the Uruguayan keeper?

As it happens I missed England play West Germany in the quarter finals because my father decided to take the family out for the day. On the way home we stopped at a fish and chip shop in Perth. England, we were told, were winning 2-0. By the time we got home, 45 minutes later, England had lost 3-2 and were no longer world champions. Forty years of hurt began that day and I can remember exactly where I was - outside a chippie on Tayside!

I wanted Italy to win the final because they were the European team and had beaten West Germany in a very exciting semi-final. Brazil deserved their victory, however, and in hindsight I'm glad they won because the best team doesn't always win the World Cup and sometimes (1954, 1974, 1982) it's a travesty.

1974 (West Germany): My father bought our first colour television in 1972 so this was my first World Cup in colour. England failed to qualify and apart from Holland the football was disappointing. Brazil were awful. Scotland did OK but were eliminated, undefeated, from a group that featured Zaire, Brazil and Yugoslavia.

I was delighted when English referee Jack Taylor gave a penalty to the Dutch in the first minute of the final against the host nation, and sick as a pig when he gave another penalty, this time to the Germans, later in the half. Not for the first time the best team in the tournament then went on to lose the final despite scoring the first goal.

1978 (Argentina): This is possibly the World Cup I remember with most affection. To begin with I was a student so I had all the time in the world to watch every match live and stay up late watching the highlights. I remember some pretty spectacular long-range goals too, the type I don't remember in previous world cups.

I was still living in Scotland and who can forget Scotland 1-3 Peru, or Scotland 1-1 Iran, or the Willie Johnston affair - and all this after the squad was paraded around a packed Hampden in an open-top bus before they flew to South America, with team manager Ally McLeod promising to bring the cup back to Scotland. Happy days!

I know, I know, at least Scotland were in Argentina. England failed to qualify (again) but this meant I could enjoy the football without worrying about the result. If I wanted anyone to win it had to be Holland and once again they lost in the final to the host nation.

Ah, yes, Argentina. To reach the final via the second group stage (a horrible format introduced in 1974 and abandoned after 1982) they had to beat neighbours Peru 6-0. Not possible, everyone said. In South America everything is possible and the hosts duly won by a score of, er, 6-0.

Surprised? Not really, but it made for compelling viewing as the fans celebrated and ticker tape rained down on the pitch. South American football supporters are probably the most passionate in the world and you can feel some of the atmosphere, even on television.

1982 (Spain): I was at Wembley when England qualified for the finals, beating Hungary 1-0. England stormed through the first group stage, winning all three matches and scoring the fastest World Cup goal ever (27 seconds, I believe, against France). Unfortunately the format of the competition didn't help anyone and we were subjected to two mind-numbing bore draws (0-0 against West Germany and Spain) before England were eliminated, undefeated but just not good enough. Worse, the best team in the competition, Brazil, were put out by Italy, losing 3-2 after being 2-0 up.

Ironically the highlight of the tournament for me was a wonder goal by Scotland's David Narey against Brazil. I watched Narey play many times for Dundee United, where he spent most of his career. To see such a familiar and modest figure score such a great goal (described as a "toe poke" by Jimmy Hill on national television) was a fantastic feeling, even if Scotland did go on to lose 4-1.

1986 (Mexico): Maradona's World Cup, without question. Scotland came and went so my abiding memory is watching England get knocked out by Argentina in the quarter-finals. I watched the match with a friend at his house in the Suffolk countryside and I remember being hugely deflated, not by the so-called Hand of God but because England were far too cautious (a familiar tale). Despite a late rally we deserved and got nothing from the game.

At least West Germany gave it a go in the final, which Argentina won 3-2 after extra-time.

1990 (Italy): Exceedingly dull tournament. England played abominably until we sneaked into the quarter-finals courtesy of a goal by David Platt in the last minute of extra time against Belgium.

Our next opponent was Cameroon. No African team had made it to the semi-final of the World Cup but no African side had ever played England in a quarter final. With Cameroon leading 2-1 it looked as if history was about to be made until two penalties, rashly conceded, handed the game to England.

Today people remember the 1990 World Cup with affection. Truth is, the only real highlight, apart from Platt and Lineker's late goals in the earlier rounds, was the semi-final against Germany and even that wasn't a particularly good game. What it did have was late drama including Lineker's equaliser, Gazza's tears, missed opportunities by both teams in extra time, and - of course - an infamous penalty shoot-out.

Funnily enough I watched the match with a German friend at her home in Chiswick. She was extremely gracious in victory ... far more gracious than I would have been.

Terrible final, won by Germany who beat Argentina 1-0 with a late, late goal.

1994 (USA): England failed to qualify so highlights included Ireland beating Italy 1-0 in New York (how odd that still sounds) followed by Romania on penalties. I watched the penalty shoot-out in a small flat in Glasgow and couldn't believe that Ireland had reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup. It could only happen in America and I don't expect it to happen again.

Another terrible final (between Brazil and Italy), the first to be decided on penalties.

1998 (France): England qualified comfortably from the group stage and then produced a magnificent performance against Argentina, both before and after David Beckham's sending off. We deserved better than to lose on penalties but it was a great effort.

I lost interest in the tournament after that and can't remember anything apart from the surprisingly one-sided final, won by France who beat Brazil 3-0.

2002 (South Korea/Japan): I am also struggling to remember much about the 2002 World Cup. A series of fitful England performances was brought to an end by a damp squib of a goal (over David Seaman's head) in the quarter-final against Brazil. Once again we went out because England don't have the self belief to beat the best teams in the latter stages of a major competition. Disappointing.

Dull final won by Brazil who beat Germany 2-0.

2006 (Germany): More shocking England performances. OK, we beat Trinidad & Tobago but we made hard work of it. I watched the game in the bar of a local sports centre and couldn't believe what I was watching. We improved in later matches (we couldn't get any worse) but yet again we gave our best performance only after going a man down against Portugal, hanging on in extra time ... before losing on penalties.

Poor final enlivened by Zidane's sending off in extra time. Result: Italy beat France in a penalty shoot-out.

Unforgettable World Cup match? Difficult to choose, but Italy beating West Germany 4-3 in extra-time in 1970 is hard to forget.

Individual moment of brilliance? I loved Pele's tricks in 1970. Johan Cruyff and Dennis Bergkamp scoring for Holland following moments of magic in 1974 and 1998 were pretty special too. But from an English perspective who can forget Michael Owen's goal against Argentina in 1978 - only the second time I have been dazzled by the skill of an English footballer on a major international stage. (The other time was Gazza against Scotland in Euro 96.)

Looking back, I don't even mind that we lost the match (on penalties). I'd rather lose to a top team showing a bit of grit, determination and style than grind out a 1-0 win that bores everyone to tears.

And so to South Africa 2010 ... With the players we have it would be a miracle if England won the World Cup so tighten your seatbelts for another bumpy ride. Sit back and ... pass the sickbag.

All this and Lembit too

It was standing room only at our Voices of Freedom debate last night with around 60 people squeezed into the IEA conference room. Hosted by The Free Society and Big Brother Watch, the subject was "Big Government is Watching You: the surveillance state and individual freedom".

Speakers included Phil Booth, national coordinator of NO2ID; Alex Deane, director of Big Brother Watch; and journalist Ross Clark, author of The Road to Southend Pier. (Ross used to write a regular column in The Spectator called 'Banned Wagon'. I reminded him that the last time we met, at a Spectator Summer Party, he invited me to play for his village cricket team!)

Best of all, perhaps, because it meant we had a proper debate, was Philip Davies MP who stirred things up with a passionate defence of surveillance cameras and other tools of what some might call the Big Brother state.

Indeed, things got a bit fiery as Alex Deane, in particular, responded like the former World Debating Champion he is.

Chairing the debate, blogger Iain Dale (above) still found time to post these tweets:

Pretty good event, I thought, and good to see some of the regular visitors to this blog - Dave Atherton, Dick Puddlecote and Rose Whiteley. (Thanks once again to Boisdale for supplying the wine.)

As Iain mentions in his tweet, Lembit Opik was in the audience and afterwards I booked him (provisionally) to perform his new stand-up comedy routine at the Smoke On The Water boat party on July 14. Now if that doesn't encourage you to book your ticket, nothing will!!

Next Voices of Freedom debate is on Tuesday June 15 - "Is a Big Society a Free Society?"

PS. I got home at 12.30. It's now 7.00am and I am about to drive to Bristol. Things could be a little quiet around here today ...

Update on Friday, June 11, 2010 by Simon Clark

Another speaker, Simon Davies of Privacy International, was unable to take part because he was unavoidably detained in a meeting concerning PI and Google. Full story HERE. I'll keep you posted.

Great British Pub Awards 2010

I have just been interviewed for a feature in the Morning Advertiser. And by a staggering coincidence it gives me great pleasure (drum roll) to announce:

JTI AND SAVE OUR PUBS & CLUBS CAMPAIGN SUPPORT GREAT BRITISH PUB AWARDS

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has joined forces with the Save Our Pubs & Clubs campaign to support the Best Creative Outdoor Area award in the Morning Advertiser’s Great British Pub Awards 2010.

Launched last year with the support of TV chef and publican Antony Worrall Thompson and MPs from the three main parties, the Save Our Pubs & Clubs campaign is a coalition of groups and individuals who believe that the public smoking ban introduced in Scotland in 2006 and the rest of the United Kingdom in 2007 is excessive and should be amended to allow separate smoking rooms.

Campaign director Simon Clark said: “By supporting this award we aim to show our commitment to publicans who go that extra mile to accommodate all their customers, including smokers, throughout the year.

“Although we want the smoking ban amended to allow separate smoking rooms, we also want to highlight the fact that the ban could be extended to doorways and beer gardens with exclusion zones around many public buildings, including pubs and bars.

“Supporting this award gives us the opportunity to highlight this very real threat that could have serious repercussions for publicans and their customers.”

Jonathan Yajima, JTI’s Head of Horeca and Vending, said, "Our aim to help licensees improve the profitability of their business and accommodate all their customers, including the 10.5 million smokers in the UK.

“Therefore we are delighted to support both the Best Creative Outdoor Area award at the Morning Advertiser’s Great British Pub Awards 2010 and the Save Our Pubs & Clubs campaign.”

The Great British Pub Awards 2010 take place on Thursday September 9 at The Hilton, Park Lane, London.

Watch this space.

Don't get shirty with me

This morning, more than a little cheesed off that not a single national newspaper had balanced its coverage of the 'smoking ban and heart attacks' story with a comment from Forest (or anyone else), I decided to contact the health correspondents responsible for the reports.

My core message was the same each time. So far only one journalist has bothered to reply and here is the correspondence to date, beginning with my initial email. Sadly, he/she will have to remain anonymous:

SC to health correspondent (HC):

Dear xx, I am disappointed that you didn't pick up the phone and invite Forest - or anyone else who may have had a contrary opinion - to comment on the Bath University study that suggests that "Smokefree legislation linked to drop in admissions for heart attacks".

Too late now but if you are interested I have written about it HERE. I also recommend that you read THIS blog post by Chris Snowdon, author of Velvet Glove Iron Fist: A History of Anti-Smoking.

Chris's book is very good. Well written and and researched. If you have a genuine interest in the smoking debate, I recommend it to you.

HC to SC:

Before you get shirty with me, I can tell you that your comment was filed as soon as you sent it. 5.30pm. I assume it wasn't used for reasons of space as it came so late.

SC to HC:

The point is, you didn't bother to call us. You waited for us to contact you when here was a story crying out for another point of view.

We only got notice of the study/press release at 3.30 via the BBC. We had to read it first before responding. That's why we were "late".

Had you contacted us earlier with a copy of the embargoed press release, which I assume you had in your possession much earlier, that would not have been a problem.

HC to SC:

You can always ring me.

SC to HC:

I will but there has to be a reason to call you and that means journalists like you alerting people like me to the fact that there is a story to comment on. Curiously enough we're not on the BMA/ASH/BMJ media mailing list so we rely on journalists forwarding press releases so we can comment.

Sometimes I just want to scream ... !!

Smoking bans and heart attacks

Further to my previous post, the BBC - who at least contacted Forest for a quote, unlike the Press Association, The Times, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Independent et al - has the story about the smoking ban and emergency hospital admissions HERE.

Here's my response (part of which the BBC used in its report):

"It's far too soon to draw definitive conclusions about the public health benefits of the smoking ban, especially when they are based on evidence such as this.

"Heart attacks are multifactorial. To suggest that reduced exposure to secondhand smoke is the reason for a reduction in the number of hospital admissions for a heart attack is ridiculous.

"The number of emergency heart attack admissions had been falling for several years, even before the smokefree legislation, so what we are seeing is part of a trend that has nothing to do with the smoking ban.

"To imply that heart attacks are the result of exposure to secondhand smoke is a huge leap of faith. How many of the people admitted to hospital with a heart attack before the smoking ban were regularly exposed to secondhand smoke at work or in the pub? How many were regular pub goers? I'd also like to know a lot more about their diet and general fitness.

"This study is designed to show the benefits of prohibition. What is doesn't show is the misery that has been heaped on hundreds of thousands of people by an unnecessarily harsh and divisive piece of legislation."

While the BBC report acknowledged that "the 2.4% drop was less dramatic than that reported in some areas where similar bans have been introduced", others were less restrained. The Daily Mail, for example, insists that the Smoking ban has dramatically slashed number of heart attack.

Chris Snowdon, author of Velvet Glove Iron Fist, a history of anti-smoking, has this to say on his blog today:

This is fairy-tale science. It is sheer statistical manipulation and it is breath-taking in it scope and ambition.

Full post HERE. Chris has the patience to analyse this stuff far better than I can. Well worth reading.

PS. Needless to say this story has gone global, with the Vancouver Sun (for example), reporting that England smoking ban cut heart attacks, health cost.

When will health correspondents start behaving like proper journalists instead of propagandists, meekly accepting the conclusions of any new "study" that comes their way? I know they rely on the health lobby for their stories, but really ....

Update on Thursday, June 10, 2010 by Simon Clark

Alex Massie has THIS to say on The Spectator blog.

This could cause a heart attack

We have just been alerted to yet another study that links the smoking ban to a drop in hospital admissions for heart attacks. However the report is embargoed until tomorrow so you'll have to wait for both the result of the study and my response.

All I'll say is, how can they possibly draw such a definitive conclusion when heart attacks are multifactorial and - according to Chris Snowdon - emergency heart attack admissions were in decline before the introduction of the smoking ban.

With "research" like this I think I'm going to have a heart attack!

Big Government is watching you

Join The Free Society on Thursday 10 June for drinks and debate at the Institute of Economic Affairs, 2 Lord North Street, Westminster, London SW1. Enjoy pre-event drinks at the IEA courtesy Boisdale of Belgravia (from 6pm) then engage in rigorous discussion with leading writers, journalists and campaigners (7pm - 8pm).

The second of five debates is entitled Big Government Is Watching You: the surveillance society and individual freedom.

The discussion, presented by The Free Society and Big Brother Watch, will be chaired by Iain Dale, political blogger and publisher of Total Politics magazine.

Speakers:

Alex Deane (director, Big Brother Watch)
Philip Davies MP (Conservative)
Phil Booth (national coordinator, NO2ID)
Simon Davies (Privacy International)
Ross Clark (author, The Road to Southend: One Man’s Struggle Against the Surveillance Society)

There will be further debates on June 15, 24 and 29 and a "Smoke on the Water" riverboat party on Wednesday July 14.

For more information click HERE.

RSVP events@thefreesociety.org

PS. Last week's discussion about the Great Repeal Bill attracted a full house. Let's see if we can match that this week.

Just my luck

Looking forward to going to Dublin (and Cork) at the end of the month.

It's three years since I last went to Ireland, having been a regular visitor between 2003 and 2007.

My first trip followed an invitation to address the debating society at University College Dublin - not to be confused with Trinity College Dublin which, alas, I did. The evening ended with my colleague Jo Gaffikin, who is now head of communications at the Design Museum, London, getting punched in the face in a Dublin nightclub. If I remember she was wearing a pair of pink cowboy boots featuring a distinctive smoker motif. It was a talking point, certainly, but I don't think they merited an assault.

A few months later Sky News flew me back to Dublin to appear on the Richard Littlejohn Show, broadcast live from a bar in the Shelbourne Hotel overlooking St Stephen's Green. It was the night before the introduction of the Irish smoking ban so the great and good had been invited by Sky to witness the occasion. My contribution? One ten second soundbite at the start of the programme. At least I didn't have to remain sober for long.

That was followed by a holiday in Co Mayo; frequent visits to friends near Bray, Co Wicklow; a visit to a gaelic football match between Co Mayo and Co Fermanagh at the magnificient Croke Park in Dublin; plus "business" trips to Dublin, Waterford, Kilkenny and Galway that involved an almost obscene number of pubs (purely in the interests of research, of course).

This time however I really do mean business. Watch this space.

Above: Ha'penny Bridge, Dublin