This week the Post Office and farmers both came to Westminster on Wednesday, and I know it was the farmers who had a warmer reception. The tractors parked the length of Whitehall were a sight to behold, and the musical creativity with the air horns was something very special, if a little loud.
The Post Office narrative around main branch closures remains very muddled, and there were a lot of very straightforward questions from colleagues that none of the many Post Office representatives present could answer. They clearly wanted us to leave with a view that this was not about branch closures, but about funding a different way to run the 115 main branches earmarked for change. I am not sure anyone present bought that as an argument, when it was clear they were not prepared to guarantee there would be a Post Office branch in the vicinity of the ones they wish to dispense with.
I also met Royal Mail for their annual Christmas event in Parliament, and it was great to see some of the posties present come into the gallery later on to watch us debating the Finance Bill. This week it has been Committee of the Whole House, so no sitting in the Speakers Chair, instead we Chair from the Clerks Table. It gives a very different perspective and is much harder to see everyone. It is at times like that I welcome being tall.
It is probably best not to make any great forward looking statements about how much I am looking forward to Christmas events in Romsey. Storms Bert and Darragh have done their best to confound us this year. But last week's George's Trust Christmas Concert was absolutely fantastic and I am very much looking forward to the Youth Choir this weekend. There are also outdoor events and I am keeping my fingers very firmly crossed.