Next year I will be abroad for New Years Eve. This year the house will be full of people drinking and eating far too much.

I am going to post my serious New Years message at 00.15. That gives me fifteen minutes to work my way through from the dining room, lounge. TV room, into the sanctuary of my study.

And just in case you think that’s very boring of me – I will have kissed every good looking man on the way – that’s why it’s going to take me fifteen minutes!

So what if I’m an MP – its New Years Eve for goodness sake – even I am allowed to go mad once a year!