A friend has reminded me that it was ten years ago this week that I took part in a debate hosted by one of the world's oldest debating societies.
Founded at Durham University in 1842, the Durham Union Society holds weekly Friday night debates on topical issues.
Ironically, in view of Rishi Sunak’s recent announcement, the motion on Friday October 18, 2013, was ‘This House would ban all tobacco products'.
Opposing the motion with me was Nick Barton, a retired headmaster and a tutor at Durham. As I wrote at the time:
What a lovely man. He brought with him a number of pipes and snuff boxes that have passed down through his family, including a pipe that was smoked on the battlefield in the First World War.
He spoke about them, and the pleasure and comfort they had given several generations of his family. He spoke quietly - albeit with a twinkle in his eye - and kept it personal. It was affecting, and effective.
In contrast our principal opponent, Dr George Rae, chairman of the North East BMA, bombarded us with so much information it was hard to keep up or take him seriously after he insisted he was against the nanny state.
The floor contributed some interesting points and questions, but what I remember most was the good-humoured atmosphere, and I sensed the debate was going our way.
Durham Union Society debates are decided by ‘acclamation’ - that is, the biggest roar of support from the chamber - and it was following this process that the chairman (a self-confessed smoker!) announced that the motion to ban all tobacco products had been defeated.
The question is: are you listening, Rishi?