Still no reply from Hilary Benn to the invitation he was sent to come to talk to South West farmers about his TB policies – or lack of them.

You may recall this was the idea of Somerset NFU council delegate Derek Mead, who offered the venue and volunteered to organise the event so the Secretary of State cold explain his position to a live audience.

Of course, his position really doesn't need explaining, as far as most farmers are concerned: having accepted that badgers do, indeed, spread TB while asserting he is not going to cure that problem by getting rid of them, Mr Benn is firmly wedged into a corner surrounded by a sea of wet paint.

The grounds for this bizarre refusal to intervene become more convoluted every time Mr Benn gives them, but apparently the prevailing logic is that no one has been able to prove to Mr Benn beyond reasonable doubt that culling badgers would be a solution. So has anyone been able to prove to him that it wouldn't? If not, then the answer must be to go for a trial cull similar to that being prepared for in Wales.

Reportedly, Mr Benn was recently prodded about his invitation to Somerset by one of his political opponents and admitted that he didn't want to face the farmers. That's hardly surprising: what is surprising is that he hasn't had the politeness to decline the invitation in writing.