All a flutter down at the Palace

Just witnessed Gordon Brown going into the Palace.

Only a minute before the police pulled up a huge Ladbrokes advertising trailer which was driving outside.

No doubt there's some law about using Buckingham Palace as an advertising back-drop.

Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams says he was given a £30 on-the-spot fine this morning for erecting two placards with the election odds, on blackboards opposite the palace.

But it didn't deter him - at just £30 a throw he says he's happy to carry on offending all day.

I am reminded of a wonderful occasion from more than 20 years ago when an ITN crew went to interview the Environment Minister William Waldegrave. As it was a lovely day, they all decided to go and do the interview in St James's Park.

Half way through the interview, however, a jobsworth park-keeper approached the group: "Ere, have you got permission to do this interview?"

Whereupon Mr Waldegrave slowly turned to the park-keeper and said: "As the government minister responsible for the Royal Parks, I hereby grant myself permission."

I dearly wish I had been there. Alas, the scene was not captured on film.