Someone in the Lib Dem campaign team is a fiscal sadist. Every month, as we have approached election day, they have found more and more enticing ways of getting us poor members to part with hard-earned cash. They got me hook, line and sinker with the January wheeze. That was the “we’ve found three stinking rich donors who will match any money you give” wheeze. Then they got me with the “just a small donation this time” matched funding wheeze.

I didn’t expect to give any more to the party before the election. But then the sadistic bastards really got me where it hurts. I have been a Paddy fan for many years. But for decades, since I was in short trousers, I have been a John Cleese fan. So they enticed me with entry into a competition to win dinner for me and one other with John Cleese and Paddy Ashdown. If only I would donate a leeetel bit more. “One last waaafer thin mint”, as the waiter said to Mister Creosote in The Meaning of Life. I was straight into my emergency funds to cough up.

And now you too can be subjected to the sadistic ways of our campaign organisers!

Make any donation to the party before April 17th and your name will be entered into the draw to be that lucky person enjoying the wit and wisdom of John Cleese and Paddy Ashdown over dinner with a friend.

There’s a webpage here with the details. But hurry! You only have three days to do it!

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.