This has happened before though. Leaflets were thrown in last year. Yes, it does terrify you but only for a few seconds. Manure has gone in. Lesbians on ropes have gone in. Only last month, a woman got up and said that Jesus had told her the second coming was nearly upon us and that she was here to tell us all. Poor thing. She was carried out in a shot.

Still, not a great day for parliament.

The bells have just gone to signal that the chamber is opening for business in a few minutes. I suspect the speaker will make a statement. Then, as ever with this place, we will continue as if nothing had happened. Peculiarly British and wonderfully stoic.

Well we had a huge row about that screen. Then a guy who could have been throwing anthrax gets a shot on target with PM. I can't think of a single lesiglature in the Western world where that could have happened other than ours. In one sense, we should be proud that we still believe in bringing citizens and their elected representative so close together. Alas, I fear we have been driven a little further apart by this mindless act. There will undoubtedly be a security report written and it will recommend a further tightening of the rules. We can't be in a situation where almost the entire government and opposition could be wiped out. What a great shame.

I noticed our kipper eating deputy PM not thinking of his own safety by covering up the powder on the floor so that it didn't spread. As I type there are police sirens ringing in my ears. The police, security and door keepers look strained. Like I said, what a great shame.

The guy who threw the purple dye (it was dye and it did hit the PM) was from Fathers for Justice. He threw it from the non-covered bit of the visitors gallery. More later.

On the European Software Patent Directive.

Alienated youth with brains go for the man in the white suit. The decision making process interests me most. I'm going to write to the PM to suggest that we put all the bad stuff in the appendix next time....

The surprising thing about the forthcoming elections is how in many areas, the main parties are not fielding candidates. The full national list has not been produced yet but in some areas the number of candidates is patchy to say the least.

In my own area of Sandwell there are 72 seats up for election. Labour is standing in all of them, the Tories in 58 and the Libs, 28. This means that even if they win all the seats they are standing in, the Liberals can't win control of the council, which begs the question, what's the point? I digress. The BNP are standing 10 seats and a breakaway faction of the BNP, 3. In one ward, only Labour and the BNP are fielding candidates.

Nationally the picture is similar. Labour will field candidates in about 90 per cent of seats. This compares to around 75 per cent for the Tories and a disastrous 65 per cent for the Liberal Democrats.

The Tories have suggested that they are targeting efforts in Wales, the large cities and other metropolitan areas at these elections, yet they will only field candidates in around 30 per cent of seats in Wales and in around one third of seats in Liverpool, and less than half in Barnsley, Wigan and Rotherham.

Uh-oh. The Daily Mail has beefed up its online presence. There's even a Daily Mail talk board. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Jerry, Jerry, Jerry.

I couldn't help chuckle at Oliver Kamm when he published the Liberal Democrat press release followed by the new unemployment figures.