Meanwhile, Vaizey has recently joined the community of bloggers. Last week, he reveals, he took some constituents and their children to tea at No 10 with Cherie Blair. "It was great fun. Cherie was very charming and brought my group up to date with all her children's news," he confides.

His constituents loved it and he was feeling rather pleased with himself, until "one of my constituents turned to Cherie and gushed 'Oh, I am such a fan of your husband's; I have always supported him!', and promptly produced a photo of TB from her handbag. Collapse of stout MP." Well, at least he's honest.