What did you do that for, you ****ing ****monger?

Haven't we reached the stage where politicians are allowed to twat members of the public who chuck stuff at them? Last week, some lefty bint sidled up to Peter Mandelson (albeit with zero security surrounding him) and chucked a cup of green custard all over him. He ducked away after the event, which to me showed unbelievable levels of self-control. Cameras or not, I can quite reasonably think that in that situation I would have picked her up and threw her under the next available bus.

The fact that she was not subdued and eventually allowed to walk away is worrying in itself (she has subsequently been arrested, but that cup could have had anything in it at the time) but why do politicians and leaders have to tolerate this kind of abuse? Aside from school fetes, is there any other job where people are allowed to throw custard at you and get away with it? We've had shoes at former President Bush, condoms full of powder at Blair back in the day, and all manner of foodstuffs in between. I'm all for protesters getting their point across, but at what point do people think "You know, I could present a powerful and cogent argument to open a debate on this issue, but I bet the government will definitely pay attention if I lob custard all over the show"? Some like-minded individuals might think it's a hoot and pat the perpetrator on the back, but surely they don't think the victim is about to declare "Good point well made, fancy a pint to sort it all out?"

Personally, I think John Prescott had the right idea. Say what you want about his politics, but when someone throws an egg at you from point-blank range, why shouldn't you chin them? Especially when they're sporting a breathtaking mullet and bear facial resemblance to Neighbours megastar Joe Scully? Fair enough, if people are shouting rude things at you, physical assault might be a bit OTT, but why shouldn't you be able to defend yourself from attack? Prescott said he thought the egg running down his neck was blood and that he'd been cut - his decision to lash out was a human instinct of self-preservation. It was also piss funny.

I'm not saying arm the MPs with tazers or some kind of switchblade, but if they're not going to be afforded proper security, surely they're within their rights to ask the press to knock their cameras off so they can take their assailant down, take them down to Chinatown?

If not, then what's the point of being a politician in the first place - to change the country? Pull the other one.