Birmingham Hodge Hill, the week before the 2005 parliamentary by-election. A team of Conservatives, both young and old, pour off the campaign coach ready to... have their photograph taken outside the Labour headquarters with Boris Johnson.

Yes, even in the most frantic of campaigns, political parties have never been adverse to enjoying themselves at the same time. Thousands of leaflets were delivered that day but, when the dust has settled on the campaign, what many people will remember is Labour volunteers coming out to join in the photograph. Not because it was significant or life changing, but just because it was fun, a much needed diversion in the middle of a hard day's work. Even if the Conservatives had won that campaign I have no doubt that it would still be the memory that stuck around long afterwards.

Politics is about going out and making a difference in the world. But that doesn't stop people from having a good time whilst doing so. Indee

d that is what encourages many activists to keep coming back: the growing sense of companionship, rapport and teamwork which are established under the pressure of a political campaign. Which is something all of us political hacks could do well to remember when tempers and blood pressures rise around election times.

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