Paying the piper

For the first time in my life, I've just given some money to a political party. I was hoping that it might buy me a peerage, but it turns out that not even the Labour Party will give you one of those for three quid these days.

What I do get is not only the chance to vote for Labour's new leader and deputy-leader but also, excitingly, the party's candidate for the London mayoralty. Three pounds for three elections strikes me as a very good deal indeed, because I love voting.

It also means that I need to give serious consideration to the question of who gets my vote. To which I shall have to return when I have more leisure, because at the moment I really don't know. Though I suspect Stella Creasey will turn out to be my first preference as deputy leader.