The rainy streets

I was working with Andrew Coulson with officers from various London Boroughs on a programme on developing the scrutiny function in local government, coming down to London by train from New Street, cycling (how I enjoy this) from Euston, past St.Paul's Cathedral, through the City and over the Thames via Blackfriar's Bridge to Southwalk. to the London Councils' building. On the flipchart are notes from Andrew's talk on different ways of understanding the world - approaches of realists, critical realists, Marxists and post-modernists; an ancient debate that Plato and his peers would have understood immediately.

Back last night to have supper at Henry's in the Jewellery Quarter, off our St.Paul's Square, with Tanya Arroba and Kim James - a get together we've been enjoying twice a year for the last decade. It was raining steadily as we left the restaurant but only a mile to cycle home to Handsworth and prepare for the start of today's programme on campus with young Japanese local government officers.