Good morning, gentle reader, and I trust that you had an enjoyable weekend, not forgetting that, for some, perhaps many, of you, it wasn’t particularly restful. We’re in the end stage of election campaigns across Britain, with postal votes hitting doormats last week.

That said, for the gallant trio of Liberal Democrat parliamentarians running the London Marathon yesterday, they’ll be hoping for a short week and a seat on the train back to their constituencies.

Their times, for those of you who might be interested, were as follows:

• Helen Morgan – 4:20:22
• Tom Gordon – 4:29:13
• Wendy Chamberlain – 5:07:49

I have to admit that, as someone who has sworn to run only when being pursued by something with vicious fangs, I’m impressed, given that finding time to train isn’t the easiest thing in the world given the unpredictability of an MP’s schedule.

And, if any of you took part yesterday, let us know how you got on.

Today’s piece comes to you (mostly) from the Eurocity Direct service from Antwerpen Centraal to Almere Centrum, as I’m off to Kemi. No, not that Kemi…

My day ends at Flensburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, a German Lander with a sizeable historic Danish minority and the subject of an inheritance dispute that led to the two Schleswig Wars. Lord Palmerston said of the cause of the conflict:

Only three people have ever really understood the Schleswig-Holstein business – the Prince Consort, who is dead – a German professor, who has gone mad – and I, who have forgotten all about it.

Elsewhere in the world, another attempt to assassinate President Trump was made. And what we saw was evidence that eyewitness testimony isn’t always what you’d hope, with a room full of journalists offering a range of statements as to what happened. And whilst there are those out there who may have wished the attacker well, I think that Calum Miller’s comment reflected a more appropriate approach:

Shocked to see scenes from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Relieved that no one was killed.

However profoundly we disagree in politics, we should do so in words and through the ballot box. Violence must have no place. No one should be silenced by intimidation.

Anyone with a grasp of history will tell you that, when politicians start being murdered for a cause, the prospects for democracy dim.

But enough history. Rodrigo Palmer is back with more thoughts on a post-growth economy, having triggered quite a response last time, and, of course, Mathew Hulbert will be back with his thoughts on events. I’m hoping to cover the (truncated) week ahead in the Lords – subject to train connections, naturally.

And so, until later, have a great day!

* Mark Valladares is the Monday Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice.