It certainly was not as cold on my morning run than it has been. Wolfed down a bacon-buttie once in the House and scoured all the papers. A bit of balance in some of them! I was speaking in the police funding debate this afternoon, so spent a considerable time drafting and redrafting my speech, and checking on all the facts. An UQ and Ten Minute Bill delayed the start of the two main events: police and local government funding. I was one of only three on our side of the House who spoke and my speech is on the website. Wind ups began at about 1625, so I was back in the Chamber for them, before heading to the first of two private meetings with colleagues. John Redwood addressed the first one and he spoke eloquently and concisely, as he always does. He richly deserves his knighthood. Then straight to the weekly meeting of the ERG, which was packed. Again, this was in confidence. A brief chat with the Chief Whip on a private matter and then back to the office until the last vote just before 2000.