How can anyone lead or manage the Labour Party without this information? Perhaps it is time to learn a lesson or two from William the Conqueror, who did a national survey which we all know as the Domesday Book.

In an age of questionnaires and databases it should be possible to undertake a paper exercise for a minimal cost and the findings shared with Labour Party members. However, in my view, such an exercise needs to be backed up by a grass roots team of Labour Party 'Monitors' across the country who observe and report on what is happening on their constituency or a cluster of CLPs.

The monitors would be independent and have in place their own system of cross verification. The state of the Labour Party would become public property and we, as Party members, would know the size of the challenge facing us.

I find myself increasingly attracted to meetings just in order to see how many other members turn up. After 48 years in the Party, having joined as a Young Socialist when I was 15, I cannot remember a time when the Party has been so moribund. By my inactivity I have been part of the problem which I perceive to exist, but I have no measure of this problem which I perceive to exist. Somehow, members like me have to reclaim the Party and re-radicalise it, but before we can do this we need to have some understanding of what the Labour Party is in 2008 — hence my idea for our very own grassroots 'Domesday' survey.