There wasn’t much chance of getting mugged in London last week. I had had to attend a meeting there – arranged fortuitously to take place at the same time as the visit of George Bush. The police were everywhere.

There was time between meetings to wander down Whitehall on Thursday morning and do a bit of sightseeing. The police were lined up in their thousands; there were fences and a pen for the protesters and another one for the photographers. They were giving nothing away: “When’s he coming?” “Don’t know, sir!” “Which way’s he coming?” “Don’t know, sir! I forget what I’ve been told, sir!”

The journalists were more helpful. They expected him at 11.00am. So, after having a quick look inside the Banquetting House ( where Charles I was executed), I came out to see the road closed – with at least two police rugby teams each facing the two pens holding the protesters and the cameramen, and a helicopter hovering threateningly overhead. Eventually the motorcade arrived, and Downing Street opened its gates for them. It was a bit of a disappointment, really. The cars all had smoked glass windows, and it was not possible to catch even a glimpse of the American president!

The National Art Gallery and the British Museum have always been favourite places. So, after spending some time in them, I returned to Trafalgar Square on my way to the meeting. There was a huge crowd of protesters – banners everywhere, a flimsy effigy of the President, a huge screen under Nelson’s column with one liner slogans like “Satan is in the White House” – that was the worst.

Then it was down Whitehall in the opposite direction to the march. It was like swimming against the tide, and I wondered if I was going to be late. The police had expected 25,000 demonstrators, but reckoned that about three times as many had turned up. It was a huge turnout – the organisers must have been very pleased.

In spite of their numbers, I could not see their point. Most people would probably agree that the invasion of Iraq was a bad mistake, but now we’re there, wouldn’t it be irresponsible to leave before the country has a secure and stable democratic government?

My meeting was to do with housing in the UK. I am the only member from the North East of the Liberal Democrats’ Housing Policy Working Party. We are looking at how to slow down the rise in house prices and other issues in the private sector, including vulnerability to negative equity. On the public sector side, we are looking at neighbourhood management, crime and anti-social behaviour, environmental concerns, public services and housing management.

I believe the Liberal Democrats will eventually triumph at a General Election, but, in the meantime, we have a very high mountain to climb. Instead of forming governments, we often produce ideas which are taken over by other political parties and adopted as their own. So, it is very reassuring to know that it is possible for ordinary people to influence the national political decision making process in this country, whether one belongs to the ruling party or not.

I have put forward a few ideas: I wonder how far they will go!

It would be wonderful if ordinary Iraqi people will have the same opportunities to share in the shaping of their country’s destiny, after our troops leave.