Crikey, it’s like the Marie Celeste in here today! Snow has paralysed London and stricken Spooners have been calling in all morning with news of various tube lines shutting up for the day. Emma, Dom and I bravely fought our way in and now we face a dicey return journey. We’ll probably leave in a minute before Gordon Brown declares the city streets too dangerous for walking.

It is of course, ridiculous to live in a country where a couple of inches of snow, which falls EVERY SINGLE YEAR, takes the government, the transport system and the schools by complete surprise and forces them to give everyone the day off. However, it’s also very pleasant. Hackney is full of kids snowballing each other and parents gamely dragging their offspring to the nearest tiny slope on plastic toboggans. The parks and canal are transformed from their habitual Victorian grottiness into a kind of Dickensian festivity. And anything achieved today feels like an adventure.

Alright, so it’s only a couple of inches. But in London, it’s time to break out the snow shoes, tie a barrel of rum round your neck, and head for your local, where you’ll find huddled masses of office workers reminiscing about the great storm of ‘87 and grinning from ear to ear because they’re not in work. Enjoy your snow responsibly!

JH