What struck me most was how undignified it is for anyone to have to act as someone else's puppet, announcing a political programme, much of which they may or may not personally agree with.

 A few years ago in her speeches the Queen was announcing the policies of Mr Major's administration as though they were her own, now it is those of Mr Blair's Government. If that is not a farce, I do not know what is.

 Let a representative of the Government announce its own policies.