Stood at the till paying for my toasted tea cake and tea just as the lovely members' tea room staff were handed their pay slips.

Pay slip time is always a collegiate thing when money matters.

The first member of staff to open hers said "hang on, there's something wrong here, I'm down."

One after another they checked and chunntered...

"Could it be because you were on the 10p tax band?" said I "and it's been abolished this month, maybe it's just kicked in."

They all turned and looked at me in unison as the penny dropped with a huge kerching, just behind the eyes.

It's Tuesday thought I. All across the country low earners are going to the polls a day or two after they get a payslip - from Gordon with love.

You couldn't make it up.

The tea room staff were mad, very mad. Don't think we will be seeing Gordon in there for a while!

Meanwhile staff who do a fantastic job, working long hours for low pay, take home less money to feed the kids and pay the bills, in the month school dinners go up too, because of soaring food costs.

Just not on is it?