Of one thing we can be certain. The apologies and contrition from Blair, Straw and co have little to do with genuine feelings of regret at the appalling treatment Walter Wolfgang received.

Their main concern, as always, is the effect of the bad publicity their stewards' thuggery has engendered.

During my 14 years of membership of the Labour Party, Walter was both a friend and comrade. You couldn't have wanted for a more genuine and sincere person, totally committed to the cause of peace.

Contrast that with the spin merchants of New Labour, whose treatment of Walter was of a piece with their refusal to allow any debate over Iraq.

But even worse than Walter's treatment by stewards at the conference was the behaviour

of the police. Time and time again we have been told they require yet more powers to deal with terrorism.

Yet as soon as they gain extra powers, they promptly abuse and misuse them. By what right do the police detain an 82-year-old heckler under the Terrorism Act? What business was it of theirs?

Maybe the Chief Constable can not only issue an apology, as well as an explanation for his officers' behaviour but inform us of what disciplinary steps have been taken to ensure there is no repeat of this incident.

The late Lord Chief Justice Lane warned that fascism doesn't always appear with a toothbrush moustache on one's doorstep.

We should take this week's events as a wake-up call. In removing the most basic of civil liberties, we are granting the terrorists their greatest victory.

-Tony Greenstein, Brighton