My pulse rate increased when I spotted Newsnight’s terrier Michael Crick sitting a few inches from me in a Westminster coffee bar. I was passing time there as I was early for an event in the House of Lords to promote Abbeyfield’s future care home strategy in the UK, and I wondered if I should seize the moment and invite Michael along.

Michael had his head down and was flickering with his smartphone, his coffee steaming away, so I took the plunge.

“Do you happen to be free this evening Michael?” I plucked up courage and asked.

We had met once briefly before during the 2005 general election. Of course, this was news to him as he was only interested in tripping up Michael Howard at the time.

Michael smiled, but politely declined my impromptu invitation saying it was not a Newsnight story.

“You are going to be old one day Michael,” I teased him.

“Yes, I feel it already,” he admitted.

He agreed to smile for a photo saying that it was good to smile, and I found him to be very charming….