After Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's provoked and much-publicised set-to with an irritable Welsh farmworker, the old saying: "Strike an Englishman once and he'll laugh, strike him twice and he'll turn away, but strike him three times and he'll kill you," might now be amended to include something like: "Throw an egg at a tough politician and you might get a punch up the hooter," because being seen with egg on his face is the last thing any politician wants.

Mind you throwing things at politicians is nothing new. They've had all manner of missiles of dissent thrown at them, including rotten fruit and veg, bad eggs, paint, ink, and water.

Surprisingly, many of the victims have feigned disregard for the insult and blithely carried on with what they were doing.

The most disturbing - some might think fitting - objects to be thrown at a politician were three bags of horse manure. These were hurled at Michael Foot, the then Leader of the House, in the House of Commons, on July 6, 1978. He certainly didn't laugh, but he could, if he'd had a mind to, have talked his assailant to "death". But he, being a former prominent journalist, was well used to abuse being aimed at him, so probably just sniffed and turned away.

To be fair to 'Thumper' Prescott, it should be taken into account that he is a Gemini who, like Clint Eastwood, was born on May 31, The Day Of The Cutting Edge. People born on this day often try to convey an image of being tough or cool, and are usually no-nonsense straight-shooters, who are likely to have experienced hardship or trauma in their youth.

But underneath their 'hard man' exte-rior they are often found to be sensitive and softhearted.

What is surprising about this incident is that the local police and Labour Party entourage chose to lead the Deputy Prime Minister through a tight gauntlet of angry demonstrators. Politicians must be prepared to meet all the people, but when they do they deserve the protection of the law.

The egg-thrower ought to reflect on the fact that had he thrown any sort of missile at the Vice President of the USA, he might not have been merely punched, but could have been shot dead by a quick-on-the-draw, shoot first and ask questions later, secret serviceman.

Let's be honest: hands up those who would turn away, or laugh, if they were the target of an egg yolk.

Following last week's column: 'No show no vote from me', I received an e-mail from Frank Ormston, the Socialist Alliance prospective parliamentary can-didate for the City of York.

He wrote: "I would be delighted to call on you during the course of the election campaign. Although your pointed omission of any mention of me or the Socialist Alliance from your column makes me wonder if I would be even slightly welcome!"

I e-mailed an appropriate apology to Mr. Ormston. The omission was not intended as a slight to him or his party, but was determined by the constraints of column space, and my lack of knowledge about both the Socialist Alliance Party and their York candidate. Anyway, what is the Socialist Alliance Party, and what's it for?

Although not the entertaining host I was of days long gone, and not one for door-step interviews, anyone is welcome to call on me, providing it is at a convenient time, and they bring their own bottle.

Frank Ormston and his fellow Socialist Alliance candidates can take heart in that Julie Hesmondhalgh, who plays Coronation Street's Haley Cropper, has decided to switch her support from Labour to the Socialist Alliance Party, because she finds Tony Blair "pseudo presidential, egomaniacal and flipping well scary." High profile support like that must be worth a parcel of votes from fans of the Street.