The Liberal Democrat spring conference saw a spectacular falling out between two powerful women of the left. Shirley Williams launched an attack upon Polly Toynbee because the latter had previously attacked her support for the Bill. The argument became quite heated – accusations of lying were made – and later in the week Polly Toynbee retumed the fray in a Guardian article.

At this stage in what has been a very long political campaign weariness spreads and things can get fractious and a bit out of hand. But what interests me about this row is that for the first time I have seen some support from the left for the position that I have been taking since the Bill was first drafted.