THE former future Prime Minister, who always has a signed photo of himself to hand, delivered a polished account of his life and times. Anecdotes about working closely with That-cher and witnessing quips by the Queen were mixed with ponderings on the future of democracy and the coalition government.

Likening himself to David Cameron, this Oxford graduate reckons the coalition will last, possibly beyond the next election, partly to secure electoral reform and partly because the new Prime Minister thrives on ruling “above party lines”. Questioned about the Iraq war, he confessed he was won over by Tony Blair’s House of Commons speech on the matter, rating it the third best piece of rhetoric he’d heard as an MP.

Highlights included how his father's family was torn apart by the Spanish Civil War and his experiences being starved of oxygen for a recent documentary on methods of execution.

Although he’s clearly witty and intelligent, and can poke fun at himself, there are a few things I can’t forgive. Comparing the NHS to a major world war, and saying the difference between parents who believe in education and those who don’t always reflects an income gap are two of them.

Reminisces of his week as a single mother for another TV series, involving catching a cold and performing “back-breaking” work sorting clothes in a supermarket, failed to win me over. It’s the four children I feel sorry for. Sorry, former future Prime Minister.