have egged on our glorious politicians to produce large amounts of their own speciality, namely humbug. The Rhyl Conservative candidate led with the ridiculous assertion that “This country has a long tradition of egg-throwing”. We also have a long tradition of laying one on anyone who pisses us off. Given that the Conservatives, as their name indicates, have long defended ancient traditions, such as loathing foreigners and favouring the rich at the expense of the poor, presumably their candidate won’t mind having a few eggs hurled his way, together with the odd sharp implement, in a spirit of good, old-fashioned political debate.

William Hague sternly added that “if he were in my party, I would be demanding and requiring an explanation,”; nice to know that there are limits on antisocial behaviour in the Tory party, because loudly asserting that it’s time we sent those bloody immigrants with their funny food & beliefs back home is apparently acceptable.

But the Tories are unlikely to make much capital out of the incident, or even Blair’s own confrontation with an understandably aggrieved hospital visitor in Birmingham. Being smacked by one of your elected leaders is bad enough, but it would be even worse if there were no health service left to patch you up afterwards.

I don’t agree with violence in political debate, but then throwing eggs is hardly reasoned debate either. And the guy was a hunt supporter there to whinge about the lack of support the government is giving farmers (as if billions of pounds in compensation was small change tossed into their perpetually outstretched begging bowl), so on balance one hopes Prescott doesn’t feel too sorry about it. It’s odd that his hamstrung and clumsy efforts to get a grip on transport and the environment have either been ignored or mocked, but a single deft blow to a deserving chin brings general approval. Here’s a hint, John - taking Jack Straw out into the No.10 garden for a good, hard kicking would win you lots of new friends. He’s asking for it. He’s got “egg tosser” (or at least one of those words) written all over him. Go on, sort ‘im out.