The division of the Home Office into two parts is the sort of simplistic solution beloved of politicians and bureaucrats. In itself it will achieve nothing, zilch, Nada.

If for instance we wish to improve security we need to further increase the resources for the security services and ensure they are properly supervised and not by a comfortable committee of the so called 'Great and the Good'. Whether the Security Services report to the new Department to be run by Mr Reid or to Mr Reid in his present guise is immaterial totally. Ministers and bureaucrats do not provide the safety we desire. Those working in the Security Services do whoever is their political master.

Have we seen this week the beginning of the end for Gordon Brown's attempt to be the next Prime Minister? The flashy Budget Speech has clearly backfired. It was the sort of silly presentation that one would have expected from Mandelson and one criticises Brown's judgement (again) on such a silly attempt to strengthen his image. It assumed that every one else was stupid and would not see through the subterfuge. But probably of more damage is the film sequence, now on a lot of webs, of him picking his nose in public. When things start to go wrong things start to go wrong.

Against this background we have the developing Iran crisis and do not forget that the recent Lebanon/Israeli conflagration started with the capture of two Israeli soldiers. Clearly Mr Blair regrets his commitment to resign sometime soon and a fully blown up crisis could give him the opportunity to say that it would be irresponsible of him to resign at a time of crisis for the country. Stranger things have happened!

Writing to The Times is an ego trip satisfied when they publish. Like many I tend to rant and get things of my chest by the mere act of writing. There is no real expectation that amongst the many letters they receive they will publish mine. They used to do so over the last twenty years but I had assumed that they were no longer interested in my wisdom (?) and I was therefore surprised when they published my views on public schools and education.

The thrust of what I wanted to say was my immediately previous blog which was improved by a little sub-editing and appeared in the edition of 9 March alongside one from a Headmaster.

The point I was trying to make, I suppose, was that the politics of envy contributes nothing while the politics of aspiration just might.

Most governments show signs of madness in their final days and the Blair government is no exception. The attack on the public schools and the abolition of their charitable status is yet another example of insanity both politically and financially.

The proposal is no vote winner amongst those who support is essential in future elections. In addition the consequence of abolishing the charitable status of public schools will be to put up the cost of public schooling. This will make it available only to the more serious rich, force some parents to return to state education for their children at considerable cost to the taxpayer and exacerbate the problem of large class sizes.

If the Blair Government had been seriously interested in improving the quality of state education they should not be vindictive towards public schooling but instead make the state schools comparable to public schools. They could over the last ten years have improved the salaries and status of teachers, stopped interfering in the ability of teachers to teach and Headmasters providing a disciplined environment. In addition they could have ensured that class sizes were reduced by at least a half to bring state schools into line with the best of public schools and provided additional decent playing fields.

If they had done these things there would be no necessity in most cases for parents to send their children to public schools.

The debate about reform of the House of Lords may come to a conclusion this week. Or there again it may not.

It seems to me that democracy is a bit like virginity. Either you have it or you don't. The only way the Lords will attain credibility is if it is elected on a democratic basis, like all other second chambers in the developed world.

The call for a fully elected second chamber will not go away if yet again we fudge the issue.

i have just listened on Channel 4 to Lord Levy's Rabbi defending the good Lord. When any of us have to resort to our local Priest or whatever to go public in our defence creates more problems than it solves.

The problem with public figures is that they do not have a capabilty to say nothing.

Now that the Honours for Cash fiasco is developing it is clear that the public defence of Lord Levy comes from his own solicitors and not from No 10 Downing Street.

If the good Lord is left out to dry it will be interesting to see how he reacts.

It was my birthday yesterday and Maura treated me to lunch. We set out for a very nice Pub outside Winchester. On the way there we were about to pass Lainston House where Maura had dined frequently but as far as I can remember I had not eaten before. On a whim, not normally associated with those in their 73rd year, we aborted on the pub and went to the country hotel.

There are certain things in life that distinguish excellence and most of them were evident in this superb hotel. The set lunch was magnificent and I had a couple of glasses of the very drinkable House Cabernet. The service was friendly and first class without being unctuous.

A strong recommend to the many who enjoy the good things in life.