When I was a kid a cabinet reshuffle for me meant my mum clearing out some old 78s to make room for some new plates she’d bought and possibly doing some light dusting; this week has been slightly different, although vinyl is making a comeback.

I remember, when I was eighteen, getting a letter from my local Tory MP (Robert Carr) congratulating me on becoming 18. I have voted Conservative ever since, even though my middle name is Vladimir.

My first vote was in 1975 (I don’t count helping Mary Hopkins and The Muscle Man to win Opportunity Knocks) but was disappointed, having successfully voted “YES” for the Common Market entry referendum, not be sent any winnings from Ladbrokes (or personally delivered by Ray Winston).

Before this, my second-hand voting experience was with my Nan in the booths inside what was Balham Congregational Church hall. She would take up the kind offer of the local Tory activist to drive her to the polling station – where she would vote Labour.   I would look back wondering why such massive (unsharpened) pencils were used and why they couldn’t have afforded better string – and were the pencils that valuable that they had to be tied down?

Still waiting to be called to be Postmaster General and hope Teresa May doesn’t know I’ve run out of stamps!