It was just as well that Lib Dem peer Lord Palmer arrived late for the Holocaust Educational Trust dinner the other day.

He had been waiting to vote in the Lords in favour of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill, which contains the all-important clause on universal jurisdiction intended to ease the threat of arrest against visiting Israeli politicians.

The vote was tied at 222 for and against, which meant the bill went through. Had Lord Palmer not done his political duty, it would have gone down by a single vote - and had to go through Parliament again.