To Savoy Place last night for an excellent dinner and even better company, courtesy of the Association of Revenue & Customs (ARC), the trade union for senior HMRC staff.

I promised that I was 'off-duty', but I think I can safely repeat one line from the speech of Terry Cook, the ARC president, as he proposed the toast to the guests.

He took us back to the autumn of 1973 when, as he said, the only glimmer of light in an otherwise bleak outlook was that Slade would shortly release Merry Xmas, Everybody.

Terry had just arrived at Manchester University, to start his degree in English literature.

'Little did I imagine,' he said, 'that over 35 years later, I would be standing here as president of ARC, and the hippy in the room down the corridor would be the editor of Taxation'.

You and me both, Terry...

• Blog