THE Women's Institute, independent and proud of it, is not an organisation to be treated lightly. When members say they do not want a political speech you respect that, even if you are the Prime Minister.

Tony Blair had the grace to look thoroughly uncomfortable after the WI added another J to jam and Jerusalem by jeering him. He is unused to addressing an audience not first vetted by the New Labour thought police.

That some of the hecklers hail from North Yorkshire comes as no surprise.

The county's members have already proved their commitment to freedom of expression by posing naked for a charity calendar.

This time they did not strip, merely tore the Prime Minister off a strip.